21.—(1) Where a jobseeker to whom a direction given under regulation 17 or 18 would otherwise apply informs the Secretary of State of a change of address that results in that jobseeker no longer being ordinarily resident within an area identified in Part 2 of the Schedule, then—
(a)any sanction incurred by that jobseeker under section 19 (circumstances in which a jobseeker’s allowance is not payable) or 20A (denial or reduction of joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance) of the Jobseekers Act 1995(1) as a result of his refusing or failing to participate in, or giving up a place on, an employment zone programme as specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(iii) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996(2) shall end; and
(b)regulations 19 and 20 shall cease to apply to that jobseeker unless he asks to complete an employment zone programme in which he is participating, in which case those regulations shall continue to apply until he ceases to participate in that programme.
(2) Where a jobseeker asks to complete an employment zone programme in the circumstances specified in paragraph (1) then he shall not incur a sanction under section 19 or 20A of the Jobseekers Act 1995 if, for whatever reason, he subsequently refuses or fails to participate in, or gives up his place on, the employment zone programme in which he was participating.
Section 19 was amended by paragraphs 1 and 12 of Schedule 7 to the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), paragraph 141 of Schedule 7 to the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14) and paragraph 67 of Schedule 1 to the Employment Rights Act 1996 (c. 18); section 20A was inserted by paragraphs 1 and 13 of Schedule 7 to the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30).