The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

Reduced payments under section 17

63.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the amount of an income-based jobseeker’s allowance which would otherwise be payable to a young person shall be reduced by[F1, if he is a single person or a lone parent,] a sum equal to 40% of the amount applicable in his case by way of a personal allowance determined [F2in accordance with paragraph 1(1) or 1(2) of Schedule 1 (as the case may be) or, if he is a member of a couple, a sum equal to 40% of the amount which would have been applicable in his case if he had been a single person determined in accordance with paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 1] for the period set out in paragraph (2) if

(a)he was previously entitled to an income-based jobseeker’s allowance and that entitlement ceased by virtue of the revocation of a direction under section 16 because he had failed to pursue an opportunity of obtaining training or rejected an offer of training;

(b)his allowance has at any time in the past been reduced in accordance with this regulation or in accordance with regulation 68 because he has done an act or omission falling within [F3section 19(2)(a) or (b) or section 19A(2)(c) to (g)] and he has—

(i)failed to pursue an opportunity of obtaining training without showing [F4a good reason] for doing so,

(ii)rejected an offer of training without showing [F5a good reason] for doing so or

(iii)failed to complete a course of training and no certificate has been issued to him under subsection (4) of section 17 with respect to that failure;

(c)he has–

(i)done an act or omission falling within section 16(3)(b)(i) or (ii) and has not shown [F6a good reason] for doing so or done an act or omission falling within [F7section 19A(2)(d) or (e) or failed to attend a training scheme or employment programme] F8... without [F6a good reason] or done an act or omission falling within [F7section 19A(2)(d) or (e) or failed to attend a training scheme or employment programme] F8... for which he was regarded as having [F6a good reason] in accordance with regulation 67(1) and

(ii)after that act or omission failed to complete a course of training and no certificate has been issued to him under subsection (4) of section 17 with respect to that failure

and at the time he did the act or omission falling within sub-paragraph (i) he was a new jobseeker;

(d)he has–

(i)failed to complete a course of training and no certificate has been issued to him under subsection (4) of section 17 with respect to that failure or [F9given up a place on a training scheme or employment programme] F10... without [F11a good reason] or [F9given up a place on a training scheme or employment programme] F10... for which he was regarded as having [F11a good reason] in accordance with regulation 67(1) and

(ii)after that failure he has failed to complete a course of training and no certificate has been issued to him under subsection (4) of section 17 with respect to that failure and on the day before the day he first attended the course referred to in sub-paragraph (i) he was a new jobseeker; or

(e)he has failed to complete a course of training and no certificate has been issued to him under subsection (4) of section 17 with respect to that failure and on the day before he first attended the course he was not a new jobseeker; or

(f)he has failed to complete a course of training and no certificate has been issued to him under subsection (4) of section 17 with respect to that failure and he lost his place on the course through his misconduct.

(2) The period shall start with the date on which the first severe hardship direction is made under section 16 after the act or acts referred to in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of paragraph (1) have taken place and shall end fourteen days later.

(3) In the case of a young person who is pregnant or seriously ill who does an act falling within sub-paragraphs (a)—(f) of paragraph (1), the reduction shall be [F12if he is a single person or a lone parent] of 20% of the amount applicable in his case by way of a personal allowance [F13determined in accordance with paragraph 1(1) or 1(2) of Schedule 1 (as the case may be) or, if he is a member of a couple, of 20% of the amount which would have been applicable in his case if he had been a single person determined in accordance with paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 1].

(4) For the purposes of this regulation, “new jobseeker" means a young person who has not since first leaving full-time education been employed or self-employed for 16 or more hours per week or completed a course of training or failed to complete a course of training and no certificate has been issued to him to show [F14a good reason] for that failure under subsection (4) of section 17 or [F15given up a place on a training scheme or employment programme] F16... without [F14a good reason] or done an act or omission falling within [F17section 19A(2)(g)]F18....

(5) A reduction under paragraph (1) or (3) shall, if it is not a multiple of 5p, be rounded to the nearest such multiple or, if it is a multiple of 2.5p but not of 5p, to the next lower multiple of 5p.