The Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

The jobseeker's allowanceN.I.

3.—(1) An allowance, to be known as a jobseeker's allowance, shall be payable in accordance with the provision of this Order.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Order, a claimant is entitled to a jobseeker's allowance if he—

(a)is available for employment;

(b)has entered into a jobseeker's agreement which remains in force;

(c)is actively seeking employment;

[F1(d)satisfies the conditions set out in Article 4;]

(e)is not engaged in remunerative work;

[F2(f)does not have limited capability for work;]

(g)is not receiving relevant education;

(h)is under pensionable age; and

(i)is in Northern Ireland

[F1(2A) Subject to the provisions of this Order, a claimant who is not a member of a joint-claim couple is entitled to a jobseeker's allowance if he satisfies—

(a)the conditions set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (c) and (e) to (i) of paragraph (2); and

(b)the conditions set out in Article 5.

(2B) Subject to the provisions of this Order, a joint-claim couple are entitled to a jobseeker's allowance if—

(a)a claim for the allowance is made jointly by the couple;

(b)each member of the couple satisfies the conditions set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (c) and (e) to (i) of paragraph (2); and

(c)the conditions set out in Article 5A are satisfied in relation to the couple.

(2C) Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which paragraph (2A) is to apply to a claimant who is a member of a joint-claim couple.

(2D) Regulations may, in respect of cases where a person would (but for the regulations) be a member of two or more joint-claim couples, make provision for only one of those couples to be a joint-claim couple; and the provision which may be so made includes provision for the couple which is to be the joint-claim couple to be nominated—

(a)by the persons who are the members of the couples, or

(b)in default of one of the couples being so nominated, by the Department.]

(3) A jobseeker's allowance is payable in respect of a week.

(4) In this Order—

  • “a contribution-based jobseeker's allowance” means a jobseeker's allowance entitlement to which is based on the claimant's satisfying conditions which include those set out in Article 4;F1. . .

  • “an income-based jobseeker's allowance” means a jobseeker's allowance entitlement to which is based on the claimant's satisfying conditions which include those set out in Article 5.[F1 or a joint-claim jobseeker's allowance;]

  • [F1“a joint-claim couple” means a[F3 couple] who—

    (a)

    are not members of any family whose members include a person in respect of whom a member of the couple is entitled to child benefit, and

    (b)

    are of a prescribed description;

  • “a joint-claim jobseeker's allowance” means a jobseeker's allowance entitlement to which arises by virtue of paragraph (2B).]