§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what benefits are available to persons in full-time employment but on term-time only contracts for the periods between terms; [109180]
(2) if Jobseeker's allowance is available to people on full-time but term-time only employment contracts for periods between terms. [109179]
§ Angela EagleBoth Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support are available during school holiday periods to people whose employment contracts are formally terminated at the end of the school term.
Neither Jobseeker's Allowance nor Income Support are normally paid to those who have ongoing employment contracts which only require them to work during term-time if they work for 16 hours or more a week on average. The Court of Appeal has recently confirmed that school ancillary workers who are not entitled to Jobseeker' s Allowance (or Income Support) during term-time because of the hours they work are also not entitled to those benefits during school holiday periods.
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, which are intended to help people with their rent and council tax, can be paid to people on full-time, ongoing, term-time-only employment contracts during term-time as 213W well as during the school holiday periods. Working Families Tax Credit, payable through the tax system for working people with children, is also available.