The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

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Changes and effects yet to be applied to Regulation 53:

Regulations amendment to earlier affecting provision S.I. 2020/409, reg. 6(2) by S.I. 2021/476 reg. 4(6)
Regulations modified (temp.) by S.I. 2020/409 reg. 2(2)(b)

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Instrument associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Instrument (including any effects on those provisions):

Sch. A1 para. 3(a)(va) inserted by S.I. 2021/786 Sch. 3 para. 6(c)
Sch. A1 para. 3(a)(via) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(6)(d)
Sch. 1 para. 15A(1ZA)(aa) inserted by S.I. 2021/786 Sch. 3 para. 7(3)
Sch. 1 para. 16(1)(aza) inserted by S.I. 2021/786 Sch. 3 para. 7(4)(a)
Sch. 1 para. 14(1)(caa) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 14(1)(fb) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(c)
Sch. 1 para. 14(1)(g)(iv) and word inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(e)
Sch. 1 para. 15(5)(ab) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(j)
Sch. 1 para. 15A(1ZA)(ba) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(k)
Sch. 1 para. 16(1)(ac) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(l)
Sch. 1 para. 20H(1)(caa) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(o)
Sch. 1 para. 20H(1)(gb) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(p)
Sch. 1 para. 20H(1)(h)(iv) and word inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(r)
Sch. 1 para. 20I(4)(d) and semi-colon inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(7)(v)
Sch. 1 para. 8(1)(c) inserted by S.I. 2023/1218 art. 8(9)(a)(iii)
Sch. 1 para. 20D(1)(c) inserted by S.I. 2023/1218 art. 8(9)(e)(iii)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)art. 19(4)(a)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)art. 19(4)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 20(3) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(5) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 20(7) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(5) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 20(8) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(5) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 20M(2) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(6) Sch. 11
Sch. 1 para. 20M(3) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(6) Sch. 11
Sch. 1 para. 20M(5) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(6) Sch. 11
Sch. 1 para. 20M(6) sum substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(6) Sch. 11
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2021/162 art. 27(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2021/162 art. 27(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2021/162 art. 27(4)(a)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2021/162 art. 27(4)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2022/292 art. 27(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2022/292 art. 27(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2022/292 art. 27(4)(a)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2022/292 art. 27(4)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2023/316 art. 27(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2023/316 art. 27(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2023/316 art. 27(4)(a)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2023/316 art. 27(4)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2024/242 art. 26(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2024/242 art. 26(3)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(a) sum substituted by S.I. 2024/242 art. 26(4)(a)
Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(b) sum substituted by S.I. 2024/242 art. 26(4)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 20(4) sums substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(5) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 20(5) sums substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(5) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 20(6) sums substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(5) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 20(9) sums substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(5) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 20M(4) sums substituted by S.I. 2014/516 art. 19(1)(6) Sch. 11
Sch. 1 para. 20(6)(b)(i) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1218 art. 8(9)(d)(i)
Sch. 1 para. 20(6)(b)(ii) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1218 art. 8(9)(d)(ii)
Sch. 1 para. 20M(4)(i) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1218 art. 8(9)(h)(i)
Sch. 1 para. 20M(4)(ii) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1218 art. 8(9)(h)(ii)
Sch. 1 para. 20I(4)(d) words substituted by S.I. 2022/530 art. 3(2)(a)
Sch. 1 Pt. 4B table substituted by S.I. 2021/162 art. 27(6) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 Pt. 4B table substituted by S.I. 2022/292 art. 27(6) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 Pt. 4B table substituted by S.I. 2023/316 art. 27(6) Sch. 10
Sch. 1 Pt. 4B table substituted by S.I. 2024/242 art. 26(6) Sch. 10
Sch. 2 para. 17(6)(b)(iia) and word inserted by S.I. 2021/786 Sch. 3 para. 9(a)
Sch. 2 para. 17(6)(b)(iiia) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(8)(a)
Sch. 2 para. 14(c)(iv) words omitted by S.I. 2008/698 reg. 4(15)
Sch. 2 para. 1A(1)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2017/725 Sch. 5 para. 3(f)(iii)(aa)
Sch. 2 para. 1A(1)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2017/725 Sch. 5 para. 3(f)(iii)(bb)
Sch. 3 para. 1(2) words substituted by S.I. 2004/2825 reg. 2(5)
Sch. 4 para. 10(1)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2001/1785 reg. 3(c)(i)
Sch. 4 para. 10(1)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2001/1785 reg. 3(c)(ii)
Sch. 7 para. 80 inserted by S.I. 2020/482 art. 4(2)
Sch. 7 para. 41(1A) inserted by S.I. 2020/618 reg. 3(11)(b)(ii)
Sch. 7 para. 81 inserted by S.I. 2020/989 art. 10(2)
Sch. 7 para. 82 inserted by S.I. 2021/886 art. 12(2)
Sch. 7 para. 83 inserted by S.I. 2023/1218 art. 8(12)
Sch. 7 para. 41(1A)(d) inserted by S.I. 2023/640 reg. 3(7)(a)
Sch. 7 para. 41(1A) substituted by S.I. 2021/1405 reg. 3(7)(b)(i)
Sch. 8 para. 65(1) Sch. 8 para. 65 renumbered as Sch. 8 para. 65(1) by S.I. 2023/134 Sch. para. 3(b)(i)
Sch. 8 para. 27(1A) inserted by S.I. 2020/618 reg. 3(12)(a)(ii)
Sch. 8 para. 70 inserted by S.I. 2020/989 art. 3(2)
Sch. 8 para. 71 inserted by S.I. 2020/989 art. 16(2)
Sch. 8 para. 12A inserted by S.I. 2023/134 Sch. para. 3(a)
Sch. 8 para. 65(2) inserted by S.I. 2023/134 Sch. para. 3(b)(ii)
Sch. 8 para. 27(5A) inserted by S.I. 2023/894 reg. 2(1)(b)(2)
Sch. 8 para. 27(1A) words inserted by S.I. 2021/1405 reg. 3(8)(a)(i)
Sch. 8 para. 27(1A) words inserted by S.I. 2023/640 reg. 3(8)(a)
Sch. 8 para. 12(1)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2020/482 art. 4(3)
Sch. 8 para. 12(1)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2020/989 art. 10(3)
Sch. 8 para. 12(1)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2021/886 art. 12(3)
reg. 13(3A)(a) words inserted by 2020 c. 17 Sch. 24 para. 318
reg. 15(1)(b) amendment to earlier affecting provision S.I. 2020/409, reg. 6(2) by S.I. 2021/476 reg. 4(6)
reg. 15(1)(b) words omitted (temp.) by S.I. 2020/409 reg. 4
reg. 51(3)(c)(iva) inserted by S.I. 2021/786 Sch. 3 para. 3(c)
reg. 51(3)(c)(va) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(3)(c)
reg. 85A(3A)(c) and word inserted by S.I. 2020/1372 reg. 10(2)(b)
reg. 85A(3B) inserted by S.I. 2020/683 reg. 3(2)(a)
reg. 85A(4)(h)(iv) and word inserted by S.I. 2021/1034 reg. 2(3)(b)(4)
reg. 85A(4)(zza)(zzb) inserted by S.I. 2021/1034 reg. 2(2)(4)
reg. 85A(4)(zzb) word substituted by S.I. 2022/344 reg. 2(2)reg. 2(5)(b)
reg. 85A(4)(zzc) inserted by S.I. 2022/344 reg. 2(3)reg. 2(5)(b)
reg. 85A(4)(zzc)(i) word omitted by S.I. 2022/990 reg. 2(1)(a)reg. 2(2)(b)
reg. 85A(4)(zzc)(iii) inserted by S.I. 2022/990 reg. 2(1)(c)reg. 2(2)(b)
reg. 85A(4)(zzc)(ii) word inserted by S.I. 2022/990 reg. 2(1)(b)reg. 2(2)(b)
reg 85A(4)(zzd) inserted by S.I. 2023/532 reg. 2(1)reg. 2(2)(b)
reg. 85A(4)(zze) inserted by S.I. 2023/1144 reg. 2(1)reg. 2(2)(b)
reg. 85A(4)(zd) inserted by S.I. 2020/683 reg. 3(2)(c)
reg. 85A(4)(ze)(zf) inserted by S.I. 2020/1309 reg. 55(2)(b)
reg. 85A(5) inserted by S.I. 2020/683 reg. 3(2)(d)
reg. 85A(6) inserted by S.I. 2020/1309 reg. 55(2)(c)
reg. 105(10A)(ab) inserted by S.I. 2020/618 reg. 3(3)(b)
reg. 105(10A)(ac)(ad) inserted by S.I. 2021/1405 reg. 3(3)
reg. 105(10A)(ae) inserted by S.I. 2023/640 reg. 3(3)
reg. 110(10)(ab) inserted by S.I. 2020/618 reg. 3(4)(a)
reg. 110(10)(ab) word omitted by S.I. 2021/1405 reg. 3(4)(a)
reg. 110(10)(ac)(ad) inserted by S.I. 2021/1405 reg. 3(4)(b)
reg. 110(10)(ad) word omitted by S.I. 2023/640 reg. 3(4)(a)
reg. 110(10)(ae) inserted by S.I. 2023/640 reg. 3(4)(b)
reg. 113(3B) inserted by S.I. 2020/618 reg. 3(5)(c)
reg. 113(3B) words substituted by S.I. 2021/1405 reg. 3(5)
reg. 113(3B)(d)(e) inserted by S.I. 2023/640 reg. 3(5)
reg. 137A words omitted by S.I. 2020/618 reg. 3(9)
reg. 140(1)(h)(iiia) inserted by S.I. 2021/786 Sch. 3 para. 4(c)
reg. 140(1)(h)(iva) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(4)(c)
reg. 146A(1)(e)(iiia) inserted by S.I. 2021/786 Sch. 3 para. 5(c)
reg. 146A(1)(e)(iva) inserted by S.I. 2022/177 art. 5(5)(c)

Persons treated as not engaged in remunerative work

53. A person shall be treated as not engaged in remunerative work in so far as—

(a)he is engaged by a charity or a voluntary organisation or is a volunteer where the only payment received by him or due to be paid to him is a payment which is to be disregarded under regulation 103(2) and paragraph 2 of Schedule 7 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings) [F1and in this paragraph “volunteer” means a person who is engaged in voluntary work, otherwise than for a relative, where the only payment received, or due to be paid to the person by virtue of being so engaged, is in respect of any expenses reasonably incurred by the person in connection with that work];

(b)he is engaged on a scheme for which a training allowance is being paid;

[F2(bb)he is receiving assistance [F3under the self-employment route];]

[F4[F5(c)a person who—

(i)is in employment;

(ii)lives in, or is temporarily absent from a care home, an Abbeyfield Home or an independent hospital; and

(iii)requires personal care by reason of old age, disablement, past or present dependence on alcohol or drugs, past or present mental disorder or a terminal illness.]]

(d)he is engaged in employment as–

F6(i). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F7(ia). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F8(ib). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F9(i)a part-time fire-fighter employed by a fire and rescue authority under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 or by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service established under section 1A of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005;]

(ii)an auxiliary coastguard in respect of coastal rescue activities;

(iii)a person engaged part-time in the manning or launching of a lifeboat;

(iv)a member of any F10... reserve force prescribed in Part I of [F11Schedule 6 to the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001];

(e)he is performing his duties as a councillor, and for this purpose “councillor" has the same meaning as in section 171F(2) of the Benefits ActF12;

(f)he is engaged in caring for a person who is accommodated with him by virtue of arrangements made under any of the provisions referred to in paragraph 27 or 28 of Schedule 7 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings), and is in receipt of any payment specified in that paragraph;

[F13(fa)he is engaged in caring for a person who is provided with continuing care by a local authority by virtue of arrangements made under section 26A of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and is in receipt of a payment made under that section of that Act;]

(g)he is–

(i)the partner of the claimant; and

(ii)involved in a trade dispute; and (iii) not a person to whom regulation 52(2) applies,

and had he claimed a jobseeker’s allowance, section 14 (trade disputes) would have applied in his case;

[F14(gg)he is—

(i)a member of a joint-claim couple; and

(ii)involved in a trade dispute; and

(iii)not a person to whom regulation 52(2A) applies,

and had the joint-claim couple of which he is a member claimed a jobseeker’s allowance jointly, section 14 (trade disputes) would have applied in the case of one or both members of that couple;]

[F15(h)he is mentally or physically disabled, and by reason of that disability—

(i)his earnings are reduced to 75 per cent. or less of what a person without that disability and working the same number of hours would reasonably be expected to earn in that employment or in comparable employment in the area; or

(ii)his number of hours [F16of] work are 75 per cent. or less of what a person without that disability would reasonably be expected to undertake in that employment or in comparable employment in the area.]

[F17(i)he is engaged in an activity in respect of which—

(i)a sports award had been made, or is to be made, to him; and

(ii)no other payment is made or is expected to be made to him.]

[F18(k)he is engaged in the programme known as Work Experience.]

[F19(l)he is participating in the Mandatory Work Activity Scheme.]

F20(m). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F21(m)he is participating in a scheme prescribed in regulation 3 of the Jobseeker's Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) Regulations 2013.]

Textual Amendments

F1Words in reg. 53(a) inserted (6.4.2010) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/641), regs. 1(1), 4(5)

F2Reg. 53(bb) inserted (27.11.2000) by The Social Security Amendment (Employment Zones) (No. 2) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/2910), reg. 3

F3Words in reg. 53(bb) substituted (4.5.2004) by The Social Security (Income-Related Benefits Self-Employment Route Amendment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/963), regs. 1(1), 4

F4Reg. 53(c) substituted (24.10.2005) by The Social Security (Care Homes and Independent Hospitals) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2687), reg. 1, Sch. 2 para. 2

F5Reg. 53(c) revoked in part (25.1.2010) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 5) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3228), regs. 1(2), 4(1)(b)(i) (with reg. 4(3)(5))

F6Reg. 53(d)(i) omitted (E.W.) (29.10.2013) by virtue of The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2536), regs. 1(1), 6(5)(a); revoked (S.) (2.8.2005) by The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2060), art. 1(2)(f), Sch. para. 10(3)(a)

F7Reg. 53(d)(ia) omitted (E.W.) (29.10.2013) by virtue of The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2536), regs. 1(1), 6(5)(b)

F8Reg. 53(d)(ib) omitted (S.) (29.10.2013) by virtue of The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2536), regs. 1(1), 6(5)(c)

F9Reg. 53(d)(i) inserted (29.10.2013) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2536), regs. 1(1), 6(5)(d)

F10Words in reg. 53(d)(iv) omitted (6.4.2015) by virtue of The Social Security (Members of the Reserve Forces) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/389), regs. 1, 3(7)(c)

F11Words in reg. 53(d)(iv) substituted (2.10.2006) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2378), regs. 1(3), 13(3)(b)