The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Transitional Provisions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Linking periods

3.—(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, 2 or more jobseeking periods shall be treated as one jobseeking period where they are separated by a period comprising only—

(a) any period of not more than 12 weeks;

(b) a linked period;

(c) any period of not more than 12 weeks falling between—

(i) any 2 linked periods, or

(ii) a jobseeking period and a linked period;

(d) a period in respect of which the claimant is summoned to jury service and is required to attend court.

(2) Linked periods for the purposes of these Regulations are any of the following periods—

(a) to the extent specified in paragraph (5), any period throughout which the claimant is entitled to an invalid care allowance under section 70 of the Benefits Act;

(b) any period throughout which the claimant is incapable of work, or is treated as incapable of work, in accordance with Part XIIA of the Benefits Act(1);

(c) any period throughout which the claimant was entitled to a maternity allowance under section 35 of the Benefits Act;

(d) any period throughout which the claimant was engaged in training;

(e) a period which includes 6th October 1996 during which the claimant attends court in response to a summons for jury service and which was immediately preceeded by a period of entitlement to unemployment benefit.

(3) For the purpose of paragraph (4) a day of unemployment shall form part of a period of interruption of employment if a jobseeking period begins within 6 days of that day.

(4) Any period of interruption of employment which ends within 8 weeks of the commencement of a jobseeking period as described in regulation 2(1) shall be treated, for the purposes of this regulation, as a jobseeking period.

(5) A period of entitlement to invalid care allowance shall be a linked period only where it enables the claimant to satisfy contribution conditions for entitlement to a contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance which he would otherwise be unable to satisfy.

(1)

Part XIIA was inserted by Article 7 of the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) (Northern Ireland) Order 1994