PART 1 GENERAL

Citation, commencement and duration

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme) Regulations 2014 and come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

(2) They cease to have effect on 30th April 2015.

Interpretation

2. —(1) In these Regulations—

“the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations” means the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996( 8 );

“the Housing Renewal Grants Regulations” means the Housing Renewal Grants Regulations 1996( 9 );

“the Housing Benefit Regulations” means the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006( 10 );

“claimant” means a person who claims a jobseeker’s allowance, except that in relation to a joint-claim couple claiming a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance, it means either or both of the members of the couple;

“the Scheme” has the meaning given to it in regulation 3(2);

“the Scheme provider” means the person or persons delivering the Scheme pursuant to arrangements made by the Secretary of State( 11 );

“working day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971( 12 ) in England.

(2) For the purpose of these Regulations, where a written notice is given by sending it by post it is taken to have been received on the second working day after posting.

PART 2 SELECTION FOR AND PARTICIPATION IN THE SUPERVISED JOBSEARCH PILOT SCHEME

The Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme

3. —(1) The Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme is prescribed for the purposes of section 17A(1) (schemes for assisting persons to obtain employment: “work for your benefit” schemes etc ) of the Jobseekers Act 1995.

(2) The Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme (“the Scheme”) is a scheme—

(a) that is designed to provide support and assistance to a claimant in their search to find employment, in a supervised environment, for up to 35 hours per week over a period of up to 13 weeks; and

(b) which involves an initial interview with the Scheme provider to discuss what the claimant is required to do by way of participation in the Scheme and may also involve training or other activity to help improve a claimant’s job search skills, help preparing for job interviews and assistance with job applications and preparing a curriculum vitae.

Selection for participation in the Scheme

4. The Secretary of State may select a claimant (“C”) for participation in the Scheme either—

(a) in accordance with regulation 5, where C has never been selected for participation in the Work Programme within the meaning of regulation 3(8) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) Regulations 2013( 13 ); or

(b) in accordance with regulation 6, in all other cases.

5. Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the claimant (“C”) is not taking sufficiently effective steps to secure employment (for example, because C is failing to secure job interviews), the Secretary of State may select C on a sampling basis, for participation in the Scheme if the conditions in regulation 6(2) to (4) are met.

6. —(1) The Secretary of State may select a claimant (“C”) on a sampling basis for participation in the Scheme if the following conditions are met.

(2) The first condition is that C has reached the age of 18.

(3) The second condition is that C is registered at a Jobcentre Plus office within a Jobcentre Plus district of the Department for Work and Pensions, by whatever name it is from time to time known, which is identified by reference to its name at the date these Regulations come into force as listed below—

(a) East Anglia;

(b) Black Country;

(c) Mercia;

(d) Surrey & Sussex;

(e) West Yorkshire.

(4) The third condition is that C is required to meet the jobseeking conditions( 14 ).

(5) The fourth condition is that C is not under a current requirement to participate in the Work Programme under regulation 5 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) Regulations 2013( 15 ).

Requirement to participate in the Scheme and initial notification

7. —(1) Subject to regulation 9, a claimant (“C”) selected in accordance with regulation 4 is required to participate in the Scheme where the Secretary of State gives C a notice in writing complying with paragraph (2).

(2) The notice must specify—

(a) that C is required to participate in the Scheme;

(b) that C is required to attend an initial interview with the Scheme provider;

(c) a description of the Scheme in which C is required to participate;

(d) the day on which C is required to start participation in the Scheme;

(e) the day on which the requirement for C to participate in the Scheme will end; and

(f) the consequences of failing to attend the interview with the Scheme provider or failing to participate in the Scheme.

(3) Any changes to the details mentioned in paragraph (2), must be notified by the Secretary of State to C in writing.

Subsequent notifications

8. —(1) The Scheme provider must hold an initial interview with a claimant (“C”) required to participate in the Scheme.

(2) At the initial interview the Scheme provider must discuss with C what C is required to do by way of participation in the Scheme.

(3) The Scheme provider must give C a notice in writing at C’s initial interview or within 4 working days of the interview, complying with paragraph (4).

(4) The notice must specify—

(a) what C is required to do by way of participation in the Scheme; and

(b) the consequences of C failing to participate in the Scheme.

(5) Any changes to the details mentioned in paragraph (4), must be notified by the Scheme provider to C in writing.

Circumstances in which requirement to participate in the Scheme is suspended or ceases to apply

9. —(1) The requirement for a claimant (“C”) to participate in the Scheme does not apply for any period during which C is not required to meet the jobseeking conditions.

(2) Where the Scheme provider fails to give a notice in writing in accordance with regulation 8, the requirement for C to participate in the Scheme is treated as not applying until such a notice is issued by the Scheme provider.

(3) A requirement to participate in the Scheme ceases to apply to C if—

(a) the Secretary of State gives C notice in writing that C is no longer required to participate in the Scheme; or

(b) C ceases to be entitled to jobseeker’s allowance.

(4) If the Secretary of State gives the claimant a notice in writing under paragraph (3)(a), the requirement to participate in the Scheme ceases to apply on the day specified in the notice.

Requirement to recommence participation in the Scheme

10. —(1) Where—

(a) the claimant’s (“C”) requirement to participate in the Scheme ceased to apply in accordance with regulation 9(3); and

(b) the requirement ceased before the date specified in the notice given to C in accordance with regulation 7(2)(e),

the Secretary of State may require C to recommence participation in the Scheme by giving C a new written notice complying with regulation 7(2).

(2) Where C is required to recommence participation in the Scheme, the Scheme provider must give a new notice to C in accordance with regulation 8.

PART 3 CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

Notional Income

11. —(1) This regulation applies to the following provisions (which relate to notional income)—

(a) regulation 42(7)( 16 ) of the Housing Benefit Regulations;

(b) regulation 31(9A)( 17 ) of the Housing Renewal Grants Regulations;

(c) regulation 105(10A)( 18 ) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations.

(2) In each of the provisions to which this regulation applies, after sub-paragraph (cc) insert—

“ (cd) in respect of a person’s participation in a scheme prescribed in regulation 3 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme) Regulations 2014; ” .

Notional Capital

12. —(1) This regulation applies to the following provisions (which relate to notional capital)—

(a) regulation 49(4)( 19 ) of the Housing Benefit Regulations;

(b) regulation 38(3A)( 20 ) of the Housing Renewal Grants Regulations;

(c) regulation 113(3A)( 21 ) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations.

(2) In each of the provisions to which this regulation applies, after sub-paragraph (bc) insert—

“ (bd) in respect of a person’s participation in a scheme prescribed in regulation 3 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme) Regulations 2014; ” .

Income to be disregarded

13. —(1) This regulation applies to the following Schedules (which relate to sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings)—

(a) Schedule 5 to the Housing Benefit Regulations;

(b) Schedule 3 to the Housing Renewal Grants Regulations;

(c) Schedule 7 to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations.

(2) In each of the Schedules to which this regulation applies, after paragraph A3 insert( 22 )—

“ A4. Any payment made to the claimant in respect of any child care, travel or other expenses incurred, or to be incurred, by the claimant in respect of the claimant’s participation in a scheme prescribed in regulation 3 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme) Regulations 2014. ” .

Capital to be disregarded

14. —(1) This regulation applies to the following Schedules (which relate to capital to be disregarded)—

(a) Schedule 6 to the Housing Benefit Regulations;

(b) Schedule 4 to the Housing Renewal Grants Regulations;

(c) Schedule 8 to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations.

(2) In each of the Schedules to which this regulation applies, after paragraph A3( 23 ) insert—

“ A4. Any payment made to the claimant in respect of any child care, travel or other expenses incurred, or to be incurred, by the claimant in respect of the claimant’s participation in a scheme prescribed by regulation 3 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme) Regulations 2014, but only for 52 weeks beginning with the date of receipt of the payment. ” .

Further modifications of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations

15. In regulation 25(1A)( 24 ) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations, in the definition of “relevant notification”, after “2013” insert the words “, under a schemeprescribed in regulation 3 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Supervised Jobsearch Pilot Scheme) Regulations 2014”.

PART 4 CONTRACTING OUT

Contracting out certain functions

16. —(1) Any function of the Secretary of State specified in paragraph (2) may be exercised by, or by employees of, such person (if any) as may be authorised by the Secretary of State.

(2) The functions are any function under—

(a) regulation 7 (requirement to participate in the Scheme and notification);

(b) regulation 9(3)(a) (notice that requirement to participate ceases);

(c) regulation 10 (requirement to recommence participation in the Scheme).