4.—(1) A local authority to whom Part I of Schedule I to these Regulations applies may conduct a work-focused interview with, or provide assistance to, a person to whom paragraphs (2) and (3) apply, where the interview or assistance is requested or consented to by that person.
(2) This paragraph applies to a person who resides in a postcode district identified in Part I of Schedule 2 to these Regulations.
(3) This paragraph applies to any person making a claim for, or entitled to, any benefit specified in paragraph (4) and applies whether or not a person has had an interview in accordance with regulations made under section 2A of the Administration Act M1.
(4) The benefits specified in this paragraph are—
(a)income support;
(b)housing benefit;
(c)council tax benefit;
(d)widow’s benefit;
(e)bereavement benefits;
[F1(ea)bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014;]
(f)incapacity benefit;
(g)severe disablement allowance;
(h)[F2carer’s allowance];
(i)a jobseeker’s allowance;
(j)disability living allowance.
(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the request or consent may be made or given to —
(a)the local authority conducting the interview or giving the assistance;
(b)any person who, or authority which, may be specified as a designated authority for the purposes of section 2A(8) of the Administration Act; or
(c)a person designated an employment officer for the purposes of section 9 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 M2.
(6) For the purposes of carrying out functions under paragraph (1), a local authority may in particular—
(a)obtain and receive information or evidence for the purpose of any work-focused interview to be conducted with that person;
(b)arrange for the work-focused interview to be conducted by one of the following —
(i)the Secretary of State;
(ii)a person providing services to the Secretary of State; or
(iii)a person providing services to, or authorised to exercise any function of, the local authority;
(c)forward information supplied for the purpose of a work-focused interview to any person or authority conducting that interview;
(d)take steps to identify potential employment or training opportunities for persons taking part in work-focused interviews;
F3(e). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(f)take steps to identify—
(i)obstacles which may hinder a person in taking up employment or training opportunities;
(ii)educational opportunities which may assist in reducing or removing such obstacles; and
(g)record information supplied at a work-focused interview.
Textual Amendments
F1Reg. 4(4)(ea) inserted (coming into force in accordance with art. 1-3 of the amending S.I.) by The Pensions Act 2014 (Consequential, Supplementary and Incidental Amendments) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/422), arts. 1(2), 16
F2Words in reg. 4(4)(h) substituted (1.4.2003) by The Social Security Amendment (Carer's Allowance) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2497), reg. 1(b), Sch. 2 paras. 1, 2
F3Reg. 4(6)(e) omitted (14.8.2000) by virtue of The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1926), reg. 1(2), 10, Sch. 2 para. 4(a)
Marginal Citations
M1Section 2A was inserted by section 57 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999.