§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether an unemployed person claiming income support may participate in a part-time education or training course; what conditions they have to satisfy; whether people leaving employment training or employment action can immediately take advantage of the 21-hour rule concession; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BurtUnemployed income support recipients can participate in part-time education or training courses provided that the supervised study element of the course does not exceed 21 hours a week and they are prepared to give up the course if a suitable job vacancy becomes available. In order to take advantage of this people have to be aged 18 or older and satisfy the following conditions:
- (a) they must have been unemployed and in receipt of unemployment or sickness benefit or income support because of unemployment or sickness, or participating in Youth Training for three months, or at least three months in the previous six if they have been in temporary employment between spells of unemployment, after the terminal date for Child Benefit and before they start the course; and
802 - (b) the course is defined as part-time and does not consist of more than 21 hours a week (based solely on periods of supervised study and course requirements); and
- (c) the course is an education course run by a college, school or equivalent recognised institution or is a training course analogous to one for which a training allowance is payable; and
- (d) they are prepared to leave the course immediately a suitable vacancy becomes available; and
- (e) they continue to actively seek work while attending the course.
People who leave the employment training or employment action programme have to satisfy the qualifying conditions before they can take advantage of the 21-hour rule concession.