The Employment Zones (Amendment) Regulations 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Employment Zones Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2438) (“the 2003 Regulations”) which make provision for jobseeker’s allowance claimants to participate in an employment zone programme established by the Secretary of State in areas of Great Britain known as “employment zones” to assist jobseekers to obtain sustainable employment.

Regulation 1 provides for citation and for commencement.

Regulation 2 provides for amendments to the 2003 Regulations, to accommodate changes consequential upon the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2004 (S.I.2004/934) and to insert regulations 7 and 8 into the 2003 Regulations. Where a person informs the Secretary of State that he no longer lives within an employment zone the inserted regulation 7(1) provides that the 2003 Regulations will cease to apply and any sanctions imposed as a result of a person failing to participate in an employment zone programme will end. Where such a person asks to complete an employment zone programme that he has already begun, inserted regulation 7(2) provides that regulation 4 (stages of employment zone programme) and regulation 5 (modification of the requirements of the Jobseekers Act 1995) of the 2003 Regulations will continue to apply whilst that person is participating in the programme. However, if he subsequently ends his participation in that programme, he will not be subject to a benefit sanction. The inserted regulation 8 revokes the Employment Zones Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/721) from 26th April 2004 except in the case of a claimant to whom a notice to attend an initial interview for the purpose of participating in an employment zone programme has been sent before 26th April 2004. In this case those Regulations will continue to apply until the claimant has completed the programme or is notified by an employment officer that he is no longer required to participate in the programme.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the costs of business.