Twenty-one Hour Rule (Hansard, 28 June 1988)

§ Ms. Short
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services under what circumstances 18 and 19-year-old unemployment benefit or income support claimants may study part-time under the 21-hour rule and retain their entitlement to benefit; and in what way will this differ from the entitlement of claimants aged 20 years and over to study part-time under the rule.

§ Mr. Portillo
The 21-hour rule provision contained in the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 applies only to claimants of income support. The general condition of the provision are that: 199W

—the course at an educational establishment is not more than 21 hours a week; and

—the person is prepared to terminate the course immediately a suitable vacancy is available; and

—the person has received a qualifying benefit (income support, sickness benefit or unemployment benefit) or been on a YTS course for three months immediately before starting the course.
There is no difference in entitlement for claimants aged 20 years and over.

§ Ms. Short
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria are used to determine the levels of non-advanced part-time educational courses that unemployment benefit and income support claimants may participate in under the terms of the 21-hour rule.

§ Mr. Portillo
An educational course is assessed as non-advanced if it is of a standard below that of a course of advanced education as defined in regulation 61 of the Income Support (General) Regulation 1987.

§ Ms. Short
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what qualifying period employment training leavers who re-enter unemployment will have to fulfil before entry onto a part-time educational course under the provisions of the 21-hour rule; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Portillo
People who have been on a training course and receiving a qualifying benefit (unemployment benefit, income support or sickness benefit) for the previous three months before starting a course of part-time study will continue to receive income support provided they are prepared to give up the course of study immediately a suitable vacancy is available to them.