Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996
3.—(1) The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996(1) are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 69 (period of a reduction under section 19: higher-level sanctions)—
(a)for paragraph (1) substitute—
“(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), a reduction under section 19 (higher-level sanctions) 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 no previous sanctionable failure by the claimant that falls within paragraph (2) | 13 weeks |
| Where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is not within 52 weeks beginning with the date of the current sanctionable failure | 13 weeks |
| Where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 52 weeks, but not within 2 weeks, beginning with the date of the current sanctionable failure and the period of reduction applicable to the most recent previous sanctionable failure is or, but for paragraph (4), would have been — | |
| (a) 13 weeks | 26 weeks |
| (b) 26 weeks | 156 weeks |
| (c) 156 weeks | 156 weeks |
| Where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 2 weeks beginning with the date of the current sanctionable failure and the period of reduction applicable to the most recent previous sanctionable failure is or, but for paragraph (4), would have been— | |
| (a) 13 weeks | 13 weeks |
| (b) 26 weeks | 26 weeks |
| (c) 156 weeks | 156 weeks.”; |
(b)in paragraph (2)—
(i)at the end of sub-paragraph (a), insert “and”;
(ii)omit sub-paragraph (c) and the “and” preceding it.
(3) In regulation 69A (period of a reduction under section 19A: other sanctions)—
(a)for paragraph (1) substitute—
“(1) A reduction under section 19A (other sanctions) 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 no previous sanctionable failure by the claimant that falls within paragraph (2) | 4 weeks |
| Where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is not within 52 weeks beginning with the date of the current sanctionable failure | 4 weeks |
| Where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 52 weeks, but not within 2 weeks, beginning with the date of the current sanctionable failure and the period of reduction applicable to the most recent previous sanctionable failure is— | |
| (a) 4 weeks | 13 weeks |
| (b) 13 weeks | 13 weeks |
| Where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 2 weeks beginning with the date of the current sanctionable failure and the period of reduction applicable to the most recent previous sanctionable failure is— | |
| (a) 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| (b) 13 weeks | 13 weeks.”; |
(b)in paragraph (2)—
(i)at the end of sub-paragraph (a), insert “and”;
(ii)omit sub-paragraph (c) and the “and” preceding it.
(4) In regulation 69B (period of a reduction under section 19B: claimants ceasing to be available for employment etc.), for paragraph (6) substitute—
“(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.” |
S.I. 1996/207, amended by S.I. 2012/2568; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.