Part 2Working-age benefits

CHAPTER 2Employment and support allowance

Claimant responsibilities for interim period

I156Hardship payments

F1In the Welfare Reform Act 2007 after section 16 there is inserted—

16AHardship payments

1

Regulations may make provision for the making of payments (“hardship payments”) by way of an employment and support allowance to a person where—

a

the amount otherwise payable to the person in respect of an employment and support allowance is reduced by virtue of regulations under section 11(3), 12(3) or 13(3), and

b

the person is or will be in hardship.

2

Regulations under this section may in particular make provision as to—

a

circumstances in which a person is to be treated as being or not being in hardship;

b

matters to be taken into account in determining whether a person is or will be in hardship;

c

requirements or conditions to be met by a person in order to receive hardship payments;

d

the amount or rate of hardship payments;

e

the period for which hardship payments may be made.