The Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2006

These Regulations may be cited as the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 24th April 2006.

These Regulations shall cease to have effect on 23rd April 2007 unless revoked with effect from an earlier date.

In these Regulations—

• “the 1995 Act” means the Jobseekers Act 19955;

• “the 1999 Act” means the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 19996;

• “claimant” means a claimant for a jobseeker’s allowance7;

• “employment officer” means an officer of the Secretary of State or such other person as may be designated for the purposes of sections 8 and 19 of the 1995 Act by an order made by the Secretary of State;

• “employment zone” means an area within Great Britain listed in the Schedule as an area designated by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 60 of the 1999 Act as an area in which an employment zone programme subject to these Regulations is established;

• “employment zone contractor” means a person who is providing an employment zone programme on behalf of the Secretary of State;

• “employment zone programme” means a programme which is designed to assist claimants to obtain sustainable employment and which is established by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 60 of the 1999 Act for an employment zone;

• “Employment Zones Regulations” means the Employment Zones Regulations 20038, the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 20049 or the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 200510;

• “New Deal for Young People programme” means a programme provided in pursuance of arrangements made by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 197311 and specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(i)(bb) (Gateway to Work), 75(1)(a)(ii) (the Self-Employed Employment Option, the Voluntary Sector Option or the Environment Task Force Option of New Deal) or 75(1)(b)(ii) (the Full-Time Education and Training Option of New Deal) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 199612.

An employment programme for the purposes of section 19(5) of the 1995 Act13 includes an employment zone programme in which a claimant is required to participate under regulation 3, 4, 5 or 9 of these Regulations.

The employment officer shall notify the claimant in writing that he is required to participate in the employment zone programme provided by that employment zone contractor.

A claimant to whom paragraph (1)(b)(iii) or (2)(b)(iii) applies shall be treated as having completed so much of an employment zone programme for the purposes of regulations 6 and 7 as is equal to the period of his previous participation in the employment zone programme.

The employment officer shall notify the claimant in writing that he is required to participate in the employment zone programme provided by that employment zone contractor.

Where this regulation applies, an employment officer may notify the claimant that he is required to attend and complete an employment zone programme with the same employment zone contractor.

That claimant shall be treated as having completed so much of an employment zone programme for the purposes of regulations 6 and 7 as is equal to the period of his previous participation in the employment zone programme.

A claimant begins to participate in the first stage of an employment zone programme on the day when he attends an initial interview with a programme adviser following a written notification of his selection for participation given under regulation 3 or 4.

A claimant shall cease to participate in the first stage on the day specified by an employment officer in a written notification to the claimant.

A claimant begins to participate in the second stage of an employment zone programme on the day specified by an employment officer in a written notification to the claimant.

A claimant shall cease to participate in the second stage on the day specified by an employment officer in a written notification to the claimant.

In this regulation—

• “public holiday” means Christmas Day, Good Friday or a day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 197114 in any part of Great Britain;

• “programme adviser” means an employment officer designated by the Secretary of State as an employment zone programme adviser.

During the claimant’s participation in the first stage of an employment zone programme the condition for receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance specified in section 1(2)(b) of the 1995 Act that the claimant has entered into a jobseeker’s agreement which remains in force is suspended.

In the case of a person who is selected to participate in an employment zone programme with a particular employment zone contractor under regulation 3 or 4 or who is required to attend and complete an employment zone programme under regulation 5, regulation 75(1)(a)(iii) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 shall apply with the addition of the words “, or the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2006” after the words “the Social Security (Working Neighbourhoods) Regulations 2004”15.

However, where that person asks to complete an employment zone programme in which he is participating, these Regulations, other than paragraph (1) of this regulation, shall continue to apply.

In paragraph (2) “relevant sanction” means a sanction incurred by that person under section 19 or 20A16 of the 1995 Act 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 (as modified by paragraph (1)).

The references to regulation 3 or 4 in regulation 6(2) and 8(1) of these Regulations shall be read in relation to a claimant to whom this regulation applies as references to regulation 3 or 4 of the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 200418 or, as the case may be, the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2005.

A claimant to whom this regulation applies shall be treated as completing so much of an employment zone programme for the purposes of regulations 6 and 7 as is equal to the period of his participation in the employment zone programme under the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2005.