§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people(a) in total and (b) under the age of 25 years have lost entitlement to benefit following the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance. [1465]
Mr. BradleyThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.
Transitional provisions ensured that people who were in receipt of Unemployment Benefit and/or Income Support for the unemployed at the point of change kept entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA).
Jobseekers lose entitlement to JSA if they fail to be available for work, to seek work actively, or to have a jobseeker's agreement in place. Just under 7,000 people lost entitlement for these reasons between 7 October and 31 December 1996, the latest date for which information is available. Additionally JSA payments (but not underlying entitlement) cease if jobseekers are sanctioned. There were just over 21,000 sanctions in this same period. Separate figures for under 25 year olds are not available.
Jobseekers who can demonstrate that they would otherwise suffer hardship can receive hardship payments.
Our welfare to work programme will help get young unemployed people, long term unemployed people and lone mothers off benefit and into work.
214WNotes:
- 1. Discretionary sanctions of up to 26 weeks may be imposed for voluntarily leaving employment, for misconduct or for refusal of employment.
- 2. Fixed period sanctions of 2 or 4 weeks may be imposed, for example, for refusing an employment programme or failure to comply with official directions.
Source:
Analysis of Adjudication Officers Decisions: Quarterly Publication.