The Employment Zones Regulations 2000

Commencement and citation

1.  These regulations may be cited as the Employment Zones Regulations 2000 and shall come into force on the 3rd of April 2000.

Interpretation

2.  In these regulations–

“the Act” means the Jobseekers Act 1995;

“an action plan” means a plan setting out the action which a claimant will take with a view to securing employment or improving his prospects of securing employment;

“an employment zone” means an area within Great Britain designated by these regulations for the purposes of section 60 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 and “an employment zone programme” means a programme established for such an area or areas designed to assist claimants for a jobseeker’s allowance to obtain sustainable employment;

“an initial interview” means an interview with an employment officer following notice sent to the claimant to attend for the purpose of initiating participation in an employment zone programme.

Areas designated as employment zones

3.  The areas within Great Britain designated as employment zones are the 15 areas comprising the wards and electoral divisions set out in the schedule.

Meaning of employment

4.  For the purposes of section 60 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 “employment” means employment whether under a contract of service or a contract of apprenticeship, or under a contract for services, or otherwise than under a contract, and includes in particular self employment and the holding of an office.

Eligibility for participation in an employment zone programme

5.  A claimant for a jobseeker’s allowance is eligible to participate in an employment zone programme if he is ordinarily resident within an employment zone on the day when notice to attend an initial interview is sent to him pursuant to regulation 23 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996(1).

The first stage

6.  A claimant begins to participate in the first stage of an employment zone programme on the day when he attends an initial interview and ceases to participate on such day as may be specified by an employment officer by notice to the claimant in writing.

Modifications to the provisions of the Act which apply to claimants during the first stage

7.  In relation to a claimant participating in the first stage of an employment zone programme the requirements for receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance set out in subsection 1(2) of the Act are modified by the suspension of the requirement for the claimant to have entered into a jobseeker’s agreement which remains in force.

The Second Stage

8.  A Claimant begins to participate in the second stage of an employment zone programme on such date as may be specified by an employment officer by notice to the claimant in writing and ceases to participate on such date as may be specified by an employment officer by notice to the claimant in writing.

Modifications to the provisions of the Act which apply to claimants during the second stage

9.  In relation to a claimant participating in the second stage of an employment zone programme the requirements for receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance set out in subsection 1(2) of the Act are modified by the suspension of the requirements for the claimant–

(a) to be available for employment,

(b) to have entered into a jobseeker’s agreement which remains in force, and

(c) to be actively seeking employment.

Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

10.—(1) The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraph of this regulation.

(2) At the end of regulation 75(1)(a) (interpretation) there shall be inserted the word “and” followed by the following sub-paragraph

“(iii) an employment zone programme, being a programme established for one or more areas designated pursuant to section 60 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 and subject to the Employment Zones Regulations 2000”.

Tessa Jowell

Minister of State,

Department for Education and Employment

10th March 2000