The Social Security (Basic Skills Training Pilot) Regulations 2004

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"benefit" means a jobseeker's allowance or any earnings credited to a person in accordance with regulation 8A of the Social Security (Credits) Regulations 1975[5];

"basic skills training" means a scheme provided in pursuance of arrangements made by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973[6] for the attainment of appropriate literacy skills, language skills or numeracy skills (whether all or any of them) and which, in respect of any individual, is intended to last for a period not exceeding 12 months.

    (2) For the purpose of calculating the period of not less than six months referred to in regulation 3(2)(c) of these Regulations, a period of interruption to the receipt of benefit not exceeding 28 days, or any periods of such interruption which added together do not exceed a total of 28 days, shall be disregarded.

    (3) In respect of any period throughout which a member of a joint-claim couple is receiving a joint-claim jobseeker's allowance, the other member of that couple shall, for the purposes of regulation 3(2)(c) of these Regulations, also be treated as receiving benefit throughout that period.

Application of basic skills training
     3.  - (1) In relation to a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, "training scheme" in sections 19 and 20A of the Jobseekers Act 1995[7] (circumstances in which a jobseeker's allowance is not payable and denial or reduction of joint-claim jobseeker's allowance) means, in addition to the training schemes listed in regulation 75 of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996[8] (interpretation), basic skills training.

    (2) This paragraph shall apply to any person - 

(a) who, on or after 5th April 2004, but before 4th April 2005, attends an appropriate office pursuant to a notification given or sent under regulation 23 or 23A of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996[9] (attendance and attendance by members of a joint-claim couple); and

(b) who, on the day he so attends, is aged 18 years or over and less than 60; and

(c) who has been receiving benefit for a period of not less than six months; and

(d) in respect of whom the Secretary of State considers it appropriate that he should participate in basic skills training; and

(e) who has been given or sent a notice in writing by an employment officer advising him that if he fails to participate in such training, his jobseeker's allowance could cease to be payable or could be payable at a lower rate.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.


Chris Pond
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions

23rd March 2004

[2] See section 29(8) of the Jobseekers Act 1995.back

[3] Section 35(1) is an interpretation provision and is cited because of the meaning given to the words "prescribed" and "regulations". Sections 35(1) and 36(4) were amended by section 2 of, and paragraphs 62 and 63 respectively of Schedule 3 to, the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2).back

[4] See section 172(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5); paragraph 67 of Schedule 2 to the Jobseekers Act 1995 added that Act to the list of "relevant enactments" in respect of which regulations must normally be referred to the Committee.back

[5] S.I. 1975/556. Regulation 8A was inserted by S.I. 1996/2367; the relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2000/3120, 2001/518, 1711 and 2002/490.back

[6] 1973 c. 50; section 2 was substituted by the Employment Act 1988 (c. 19), section 25(1).back

[7] Section 20A was inserted by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), section 59 and Schedule 7, paragraph 13.back

[8] S.I. 1996/207; the relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1997/2863, 1998/1274, 2000/1978 and 2001/652.back

[9] Regulation 23 was substituted by S.I. 2000/2194 and regulation 23A was inserted by S.I. 2000/1978.back