The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008

Remunerative work E+W+S

2.—(1) Subject to [F1 sub-paragraphs (2) to (8)], a [F2 non-dependant (referred to in this paragraph as “person”)] is to be treated for the purposes of this Schedule as engaged in remunerative work if that person is engaged, or, where the person's hours of work fluctuate, is engaged on average, for not less than 16 hours a week, being work for which payment is made or which is done in expectation of payment.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), in determining the number of hours for which a person is engaged in work where that person's hours of work fluctuate, regard is to be had to the average of hours worked over—

(a) if there is a recognisable cycle of work, the period of one complete cycle (including, where the cycle involves periods in which the person does no work, those periods but disregarding any other absences);

(b) in any other case, the period of 5 weeks immediately prior to the date of claim, or such other length of time as may, in the particular case, enable the person's weekly average hours of work to be determined more accurately.

(3) Where no recognisable cycle has been established in respect of a person's work, regard is to be had to the number of hours or, where those hours will fluctuate, the average of the hours, which that person is expected to work in a week.

(4) A person is to be treated as engaged in remunerative work during any period for which that person is absent from work referred to in sub-paragraph (1) if the absence is either without good cause or by reason of a recognised, customary or other holiday.

(5) A person is not to be treated as engaged in remunerative work on any day on which the person is on maternity leave, paternity leave[F3 , shared parental leave][F4 , parental bereavement leave] or adoption leave or is absent from work because the person is ill.

(6) For the purposes of this paragraph, in determining the number of hours in which a person is engaged or treated as engaged in remunerative work, no account is to be taken of any hours in which the person is engaged in an employment or a scheme to which regulation 43(1) (circumstances under which partners of persons entitled to an income-related allowance are not to be treated as engaged in remunerative work) applies.

(7) For the purposes of sub-paragraphs (1) and (2), in determining the number of hours for which a person is engaged in work, that number is to include any time allowed to that person by that person's employer for a meal or for refreshment, but only where that person is, or expects to be, paid earnings in respect of that time.

[F5 (8) A person is to be treated as not being engaged in remunerative work on any day in which that person falls within the circumstances prescribed in regulation 43(2) (circumstances in which partners of claimants entitled to an income-related allowance are not to be treated as engaged in remunerative work).

(9) Whether a claimant or the claimant’s partner is engaged in, or to be treated as being engaged in, remunerative work is to be determined in accordance with regulations 41 or 42 (meaning of “remunerative work” for the purposes of paragraph 6(1)(e) and (f) of Schedule 1 to the Act) as the case may be.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 6 para. 2(1) substituted (27.10.2008) by The Employment and Support Allowance (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/2428), regs. 1(2), 16(b)(i)(aa)

F2 Words in Sch. 6 para. 2(1) substituted (27.10.2008) by The Employment and Support Allowance (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/2428), regs. 1(2), 16(b)(i)(bb)

F3 Words in Sch. 6 para. 2(5) inserted (31.12.2014) by The Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3255), arts. 1(2), 20(8)

F4 Words in Sch. 6 para. 2(5) inserted (6.4.2020) by The Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/354), regs. 1, 19(5)

F5 Sch. 6 para. 2(8) (9) substituted for Sch. 6 para. 2(8) (27.10.2008) by The Employment and Support Allowance (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/2428), regs. 1(2), 16(b)(ii)