The Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit (Higher-Level Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2019

• Citation: S.I. 2019/1357
• Sections: 5

Section 1 Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit (Higher-Level Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 and come into force on 27th November 2019.

Section 2 Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

In the table in paragraph (1) of regulation 69 (the period of a reduction under section 19: higher-level sanctions) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 —

(a) in the row beginning “where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 52 weeks”—

(i) in paragraph (b) (26 weeks), in the second column (reduction period), for “156 weeks” substitute “26 weeks”;

(ii) omit paragraph (c) (156 weeks) and the corresponding entry in the second column;

(b) in the row beginning “where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant that fall within paragraph (2) and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 2 weeks”, omit paragraph (c) (156 weeks) and the corresponding entry in the second column.

Section 3 Amendment of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013

In the table in paragraph (2) of regulation 102 (higher-level sanction) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 —

(a) in the row beginning “where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant giving rise to a higher-level sanction and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 365 days”—

(i) in paragraph (d) (182 days), in the second column (reduction period where claimant aged 18 or over), for “1095 days” substitute “182 days”;

(ii) omit paragraph (e) (1095 days) and the corresponding entry in the second column;

(b) in the row beginning “where there have been one or more previous sanctionable failures by the claimant giving rise to a higher-level sanction and the date of the most recent previous sanctionable failure is within 14 days”, omit paragraph (e) (1095 days) and the corresponding entry in the second column.

Section 4 Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 2013

In the table in paragraph (1) of regulation 19 (higher-level sanction) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 2013 —

(a) in the row beginning “where there have been one or more previous relevant failures by the claimant and the date of the most recent previous relevant failure is within 365 days”—

(i) in paragraph (b) (182 days), in the second column (reduction period), for “1095 days” substitute “182 days”;

(ii) omit paragraph (c) (1095 days) and the corresponding entry in the second column;

(b) in the row beginning “where there have been one or more previous relevant failures by the claimant and the date of the most recent previous relevant failure is within 14 days”, omit paragraph (c) (1095 days) and the corresponding entry in the second column.

Section 5 Transitional provision

(1) Where, on the date that these Regulations come into force, the amount of an award of jobseeker’s allowance is subject to a reduction under section 19 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 for a period of 156 weeks, the reduction is to be terminated where, since the date that the reduction took effect, the award has been reduced for a period of at least 26 weeks.

(2) Where, on the date that these Regulations come into force, the amount of an award of jobseeker’s allowance is subject to a reduction under section 6J of the Jobseekers Act 1995 for a period of 1095 days, the reduction is to be terminated where, since the date that the reduction took effect, the award has been reduced for a period of at least 182 days.

(3) Where, on the date that these Regulations come into force, the amount of an award of universal credit is subject to a reduction under section 26 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, or which is treated as a reduction under section 26 of that Act by virtue of regulation 32(3) of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014 , for a period of 1095 days, the reduction is to be terminated where, since the date that the reduction took effect, the award has been reduced for a period of at least 182 days.