The Employment Zones Regulations 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make provision for a claimant of a jobseeker’s allowance to participate in an employment zone programme established by the Secretary of State under section 60 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 M1 in areas of Great Britain known as “employment zones” to assist jobseekers to obtain sustainable employment.

Employment zones are designated by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 60 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999. A list of the areas designated as employment zones for the purposes of these Regulations can be obtained from Welfare to Work Strategy Division, Department for Work and Pensions, Room N1108 Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PQ. The list is also available on the Internet at www.employmentzones.gov.uk.

Regulation 1 provides for citation, commencement and interpretation.

Regulation 2 specifies those claimants who may be directed by an employment officer to participate in an employment zone programme. Regulation 2(1) makes provision for the participation in an employment zone programme of a jobseeker’s allowance claimant who is aged 25 years or over and lives within an area designated as an employment zone for the purpose of these Regulations subject to certain specified conditions. Regulation 2(2) makes provision for the participation in an employment zone programme of a jobseeker’s allowance claimant who is aged 18 years or more but under 25 years of age who has participated in the programme of assistance for such jobseekers known as “New Deal for Young People”M2 and lives in an area designated as an employment zone for the purposes of these Regulations subject to certain specified conditions.

Regulation 3 makes provision for a jobseeker’s allowance claimant who is at a significant disadvantage in the labour market to apply to an employment officer for a direction to enable him to participate in an employment zone programme. Such a jobseeker is not subject to the qualifying requirements set out in regulation 2 provided that he is either ordinarily resident within an employment zone or the address for payment of his jobseeker’s allowance is located within an employment zone.

Regulation 4 sets out the two stages of an employment zone programme.

Regulation 5 makes provision for the requirements of the Jobseekers Act 1995 to be modified in the case of a person who is participating in an employment zone programme. Regulation 5(1) provides that during the first stage of the programme the requirement for a claimant of jobseeker’s allowance to maintain a jobseeker’s agreement is suspended. Regulation 5(2) provides that during the second stage of the programme the requirements for a claimant of jobseeker’s allowance to be available for work, to maintain a jobseeker’s agreement and to be actively seeking work are suspended.

Regulation 6 amends the definition of “employment zone programme” in regulation 75(1)(a)(iii) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 M3 . This has the effect of enabling the sanction provision set out in section 19 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 M4 to apply to defaults by a jobseeker’s allowance claimant in connection with an employment zone programme operated under the Employment Zone Regulations 2000 or these Regulations.

The Regulations do not impose a charge on business.