Citation and commencement

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Community Task Force) Regulations 2010.

(2) They come into force on 26th April 2010.

Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations

2. —(1)The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996( 3 ) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 69 (prescribed period for the purposes of section 19(2))( 4 )—

(a) at the beginning of paragraph (1) insert “Subject to paragraph (1ZA),”;

(b) in paragraph (1)(a), after “(b),” insert “ (ba), ”;

(c) in paragraph (1)(b)(ii)(bb), after “the New Deal options” insert “(other than a case where a jobseeker’s allowance is determined not to be payable in circumstances relating to the Community Task Force)”;

(d) after paragraph (1)(b)(ii)(bb), insert—

“ (bba) where the determination in (i) above relates to the Community Task Force, on a previous occasion the jobseeker’s allowance was determined not to be payable to him in circumstances falling within section 19(5) or section 20A(2)(a) to (c) that relates to the Community Task Force; or ”

(e) after paragraph (b) insert—

“ (ba) 13 weeks in any case in which—

(i) a jobseeker’s allowance is determined not to be payable to the claimant in circumstances falling within section 19(5) or section 20A(2)(a) to (c) and the determination relates to an act or omission arising on or after 26th April 2010 in respect of the Community Task Force; and

(ii) on two previous occasions a jobseeker’s allowance has been determined not to be payable to the claimant in circumstances falling within section 19(5) or section 20A(2)(a) to (c) and each such determination relates to the Community Task Force; and

(iii) no more than 12 months have elapsed between the beginning of the day on which the determination mentioned in (ba)(i) above is made and the beginning of the first day on which a jobseeker’s allowance was not payable to the claimant as a result of the determination which most recently preceded it falling within sub-paragraph (b)(i) and relating to the Community Task Force; ” .

(f) in paragraph (1)(c) after “75(1)(a)(i)(bb)” insert “or the Community Task Force”;

(g) after paragraph (1) insert —

“ (1ZA) Where, in a case relating to the Community Task Force falling within a provision made by paragraph (1)(a), (1)(b)(ii)(bba) or (1)(ba), the Secretary of State notifies the claimant in writing that he is no longer required to participate in the Community Task Force with effect from a day specified in the notice which falls within the period referred to in the provision concerned, that provision shall apply as if the prescribed period referred to were a reference to either—

(a) one week, or

(b) the period beginning on the day specified in paragraph (2) and ending on the last day of the first benefit week to end on or after the day specified in the notice as the day on which the claimant is no longer required to participate in the Community Task Force,

whichever is the longer. ” .

(3) After regulation 75(1)(a)(ii)(cc) (interpretation)( 5 ) insert “; and” and the following head—

“ (dd) the Community Task Force, being a programme which lasts for a total of at least 13 weeks and up to 26 weeks for any individual who must be under the age of 25 on the first entry date to the programme and which includes for that individual work experience and job search, except that where an individual participates in the Community Task Force after the 13th week, it is not, in respect of that individual’s participation after that week, to be regarded as an employment programme for the purposes of section 19 or 20A . ” .