Seasonal Workers

HC Deb 27 January 1978 vol 942 cc813-4W

Sir A. Meyer

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many persons are classified as seasonal workers;

(2) whether any further steps are required in order to make classified seasonal workers aware of the extent to which they are entitled to unemployment benefit;

(3) what steps are taken by his Department to make classified seasonal workers aware of the extent to which they are entitled to unemployment benefit;

(4) what is the entitlement to unemployment benefit of classified seasonal workers.

Mr. Deakins

A person who works seasonally is not usually classified as a "seasonal worker" by the independent statutory authorities unless he has followed a regular seasonal pattern of work over the last three years. When he is so classified, he has to satisfy two additional conditions in order to receive unemployment benefit during his off-season. These are that he must have registered for employment during all periods of unemployment occurring in the preceding two years; and that he must have had, or must reasonably expect to obtain, a substantial amount of employment—generally at least a quarter of his off-season—in his current off-season. The number of claimants classified as seasonal workers who nevertheless qualify for unemployment benefit is not known, but in the 12 months ending 31st March 1977 about 2,000 claims to unemployment benefit were disallowed under the seasonal worker rules.

Where it seems possible that a person who has claimed unemployment benefit may be a seasonal worker he is asked to provide further information about his past pattern of employment and is given a leaflet (NI 55) which explains when a person may be regarded as a seasonal worker and now he can qualify for benefit in his off-season. If the information obtained suggests that the claimant could be a seasonal worker, the additional conditions are discussed with him. Thus a person who works seasonally would usually be aware of the extent to which he would be entitled to unemployment benefit as a seasonal worker even before he was so classified. The explanatory leaflet is also available to claimants on request and is issued to anyone who inquires about the seasonal workers' rules. I do not think that any further action to bring this information to the notice of seasonal workers could usefully be taken.