The Employment and Support Allowance (Work-related Activity) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011

Requirement to undertake work-related activity

3.—(1) The Department may require a person who satisfies the requirements in paragraph (2) to undertake work-related activity as a condition of continuing to be entitled to the full amount of employment and support allowance payable to that person.

(2) The requirements referred to in paragraph (1) are that the person is—

(a) required to take part in, or has taken part in, one or more work-focused interviews pursuant to regulation 54 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations;

(b) not a lone parent who is responsible for and a member of the same household as a child under the age of 5;

(c) not entitled to carer’s allowance; and

(d) not entitled to a carer premium under paragraph 8 of Schedule 4 to the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations.

(3) A requirement to undertake work-related activity ceases to have effect if the person becomes a member of the support group.

(4) A requirement imposed under paragraph (1)—

(a) must be reasonable in the view of the Department, having regard to the person’s circumstances; and

(b) may not require the person to—

(i) apply for a job or undertake work, whether as an employee or otherwise, or

(ii) undergo medical treatment.

(5) A person who is a lone parent and in any week is responsible for and a member of the same household as a child under the age of 13, may only be required to undertake work-related activity under paragraph (1) during the child’s normal school hours.