The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

[F1 The period of a reduction under section 19B: Claimants ceasing to be available for employment etc.

69B.— (1) Subject to paragraph (5), the amount of an award of a jobseeker’s allowance, other than a joint-claim jobseeeker’s allowance, is to be reduced in accordance with this regulation and regulation 70 (amount of a reduction) if the claimant—

(a) was previously entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance, or was a member of a couple entitled to a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance; and

(b) ceased to be so entitled by failing to comply with the condition in section 1(2)(a) or (c) (availability for employment and actively seeking employment).

(2) Subject to paragraph (5), the amount of an award of a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is to be reduced in accordance with this regulation and regulation 70 (amount of a reduction) if the case falls within either paragraph (3) or (4).

(3) A case falls within this paragraph if—

(a) one of the claimants was previously entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance, other than a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance; and

(b) ceased to be so entitled by failing to comply with the condition in section 1(2)(a) [F2 or (c)].

(4) A case falls within this paragraph if—

(a) the couple were previously entitled to a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance but ceased to be so entitled by either or both of them failing to comply with the condition in section 1(2)(a) or (c); or

(b) either member of the couple was a member of another couple previously entitled to such an allowance and that couple ceased to be so entitled by that person failing to comply with the condition in section 1(2)(a) or (c).

(5) This regulation does not apply where—

(a) the claimant had been treated as available for work under regulation 14 (circumstances in which a person is to be treated as available), or as actively seeking employment under regulation 19 (circumstances in which a person is to be treated as actively seeking employment);

(b) the claimant ceased to be so treated due to no longer falling within regulation 14 or 19;

(c) as a result of (b), the claimant’s award was terminated for failing to comply with the conditions in section 1(2)(a) or (c) (availability for employment and actively seeking employment); and

(d) the Secretary of State considers that a reduction is not appropriate in the claimant’s circumstances.

[F3 (6) Subject to paragraph (7), a reduction under this regulation in the circumstances described in the first column of the following table is to have effect for the period set out in the second column.

Circumstances in which reduction period applies	Reduction period
Where there has been only one occasion on which the claimant’s previous entitlement ceased	4 weeks
Where there have been two or more occasions on which the claimant’s previous entitlement ceased and the date of the most recent occasion is not within 52 weeks beginning with the date of the next most recent occasion	4 weeks
Where there have been two or more occasions on which the claimant’s previous entitlement ceased and the date of the most recent occasion is within 52 weeks, but not within 2 weeks, beginning with the date of the next most recent occasion and the period of reduction applicable on that occasion is or, but for paragraph (7), would have been—
(a) 4 weeks	13 weeks
(b) 13 weeks	13 weeks
Where there have been two or more occasions on which the claimant’s previous entitlement ceased and the date of the most recent occasion is within 2 weeks beginning with the date of the next most recent occasion and the period of reduction applicable on that occasion is or, but for paragraph (7), would have been—
(a) 4 weeks	4 weeks
(b) 13 weeks	13 weeks.]

(7) The period specified in paragraph (6) is to be reduced by the period beginning with the first day of the benefit week following the benefit week in which the claimant was last paid an award of jobseeker’s allowance and ending with the day before the date of claim [F4 or where regulation 3(g) of the Claims and Payments Regulations applies, the day before the suspension ends].

(8) The period of a reduction under this regulation begins on the date of claim [F5 or where regulation 3(g) of the Claims and Payments Regulations applies, the date on which the suspension ends].]

Textual Amendments

F1 Regs. 69-69B substituted for reg. 69 (22.10.2012) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2568), regs. 1(1), 2(2)

F2 Words in reg. 69B(3)(b) inserted (2.4.2013) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/443), regs. 1, 4(6)(a)

F3 Reg. 69B(6) substituted (with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/678), regs. 1, 3(4)

F4 Words in reg. 69B(7) inserted (2.4.2013) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/443), regs. 1, 4(6)(b)

F5 Words in reg. 69B(8) inserted (2.4.2013) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/443), regs. 1, 4(6)(c)