The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Reduced amount of allowance

68.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (4), the amount of an income-based jobseeker’s allowance which would otherwise be payable to a young person shall be reduced by a sum equal to 40 per cent. of the amount applicable in his case by way of a personal allowance determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 for a period of 2 weeks from the beginning of the first week after the adjudication officer’s decision where the young person has done any act or omission falling within Article 21(5) or (6)(c) or (d) of the Order, unless the young person reaches the age of 18 before the 2 week period expires, in which case the allowance shall be payable at the full rate applicable in his case from and including the date he reaches the age of 18.

(2) Subject to paragraph (4), in a case where the young person or any member of his family is pregnant or seriously ill the amount of an income-based jobseeker’s allowance which would otherwise be payable to the young person shall be reduced by a sum equal to 20 per cent. of the amount applicable in his case by way of a personal allowance determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 for a period of 2 weeks from the beginning of the first week after the adjudication officer’s decision where the young person has done any act or omission falling within Article 21(5) or (6)(c) or (d) of the Order, unless the young person reaches the age of 18 before that 2 week period expires, in which case the allowance shall be payable at the full rate applicable in his case from and including the date he reaches the age of 18.

(3) A reduction under paragraph (1) or (2) shall, if it is not a multiple of 5p, be rounded to the nearest such multiple or, if it is a multiple of 2·5p but not of 5p, to the next lower multiple of 5p.

(4) If a young person’s claim for an income-based jobseeker’s allowance is terminated before the expiry of the period determined in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2), and he makes a fresh claim for the allowance, it shall be payable to him at the reduced rate determined in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) for the balance of the time remaining of that 2 weeks, unless the young person reaches the age of 18 before that 2 week period expires, in which case the allowance shall be payable at the full rate applicable in his case from and including the date he reaches the age of 18.

(5) An income-based jobseeker’s allowance shall be payable to a young person at the full rate applicable in his case after the expiry of the 2 week period referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2).