{ "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/jobseekers-allowance-regulations-northern-ireland-1996/regulation-14", "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/jobseekers-allowance-regulations-northern-ireland-1996/regulation-14.json", "legislation": "nisr/1996/198", "legislation_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996", "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/jobseekers-allowance-regulations-northern-ireland-1996", "path": "regulation/14", "kind": "regulation", "number": "14", "heading": "Circumstances in which a person is to be treated as available", "text": "(1) A person, other than one to whom regulation 15 (circumstances in which a person is not to be regarded as available) applies, shall be treated as available for employment in the following circumstances for as long as those circumstances apply, subject to any maximum period specified in this paragraph—\n(a) notwithstanding regulation 15(a), if he is participating as a full-time student in an employment-related course where participation by him has been approved before the course started by an employment officer, for a maximum of 2 weeks and one such course in any period of 12 months;\n(b) if he is attending a residential work camp, for a maximum of 2 weeks and one such occasion in any period of 12 months;\n(c) if he is temporarily absent from Northern Ireland because he is taking a member of his family who is a child or young person abroad for treatment, for a maximum of 8 weeks;\n(d) if he is engaged in the manning or launching of a lifeboat or in the performance of duty as a part-time member of a fire brigade or engaged during an emergency in duties for the benefit of others;\n(e) if he is a member of a couple and is looking after a member of his family who is a child while the other member is temporarily absent from the United Kingdom, for a maximum of 8 weeks;\n(f) if he is following an Open University course and is attending, as a requirement of that course, a residential course, for a maximum of one week per course;\n(g) if he is temporarily looking after a child full-time because the person who normally looks after the child is ill or temporarily absent from home or the person is looking after a member of the family who is ill, for a maximum of 8 weeks;\n(h) if he has been discharged from detention in a prison or young offenders centre, for one week commencing with and including the date of his discharge;\n(i) if there is a period between the date of claim and the beginning of the first week after that date, for that period;\n(j) if there is a period between the date the award is terminated and the end of the week in which the award is terminated, for the period between the beginning of the week in which the award is terminated and the date the award is terminated;\n(k) if he is treated as capable of work in accordance with regulation 55 (short periods of sickness), for the period determined in accordance with that regulation;\n(l) if he is temporarily absent from Northern Ireland to attend an interview for employment and has given notice to an employment officer, in writing if so required by the employment officer, that he will be so absent for a maximum of one week;\n(m) if he is a member of a couple and he and his partner are both absent from Northern Ireland and a premium referred to in paragraph 10, 11, 12, 13 or 15 of Schedule 1 (applicable amounts) is applicable in respect of his partner, for a maximum of 4 weeks.\n(2) A person, other than one to whom regulation 15 applies, shall be treated as available for employment in the following circumstances—\n(a) if there is a death or serious illness of a close relative or close friend of his;\n(b) if there is a domestic emergency affecting him or a close relative or close friend of his;\n(c) if there is a funeral of a close relative or close friend of his;\n(d) if he has caring responsibilities and the person being cared for has died;\nfor the time required to deal with the emergency or other circumstance and for a maximum of one week on the occurrence of any of the circumstances set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (d), or any combination of those circumstances, and on no more than 4 such periods in any period of 12 months.\n(3) If any of the circumstances set out in paragraph (1), except those in sub-paragraphs (i) and (j), or any of those set out in paragraph (2) apply to a person for part of a week, he shall for the purposes of regulation 7(1) (restriction of hours for which a person is available to 40 hours per week) be treated as available for 8 hours on any day on which those circumstances applied subject to the maximum specified in paragraph (1) or (2), unless he has restricted the total number of hours for which he is available in a week in accordance with regulation 7(2), 13(3) (additional restrictions) or 17(2) (laid off and short-time workers). If he has so restricted the total number of hours for which he is available, he shall, for the purposes of regulation 7(1) or 13(4), be treated as available for the number of hours for which he would be available on that day in accordance with his pattern of availability recorded in his jobseeker’s agreement, if any of the circumstances set out in paragraph (1) except those in sub-paragraphs (i) and (j) or any of those set out in paragraph (2) applied on that day, subject to the maximum specified in paragraph (1) or (2).\n(4) In paragraph (1)(c), “treatment” means treatment for a disease or bodily or mental disablement by or under the supervision of a person qualified to provide medical treatment, physiotherapy or a form of treatment which is similar to, or related to, either of those forms of treatment.\n(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(d)—\n(a) a person is engaged in duties for the benefit of others while—\n(i) providing assistance to any person whose life may be endangered or who may be exposed to the risk of serious bodily injury or whose health may be seriously impaired;\n(ii) protecting property of substantial value from imminent risk of serious damage or destruction, or\n(iii) assisting in measures being taken to prevent a serious threat to the health of the people,\nas a member of a group of persons organised wholly or partly for the purpose of providing such assistance or, as the case may be, protection;\n(b) events which may give rise to an emergency include—\n(i) a fire, a flood or an explosion;\n(ii) a natural catastrophe;\n(iii) a railway or other transport accident;\n(iv) a cave or mountain accident;\n(v) an accident at sea, or\n(vi) a person being reported missing and the organisation of a search for that person.\n(6) In paragraph (1), except in sub-paragraphs (i) and (j), and in paragraph (2), “week” means any period of 7 consecutive days.", "extent": "N.I.", "status": "prospective", "version": "current", "annotations": [ { "type": "I", "label": "I1", "text": "Reg. 14 in operation at 7.10.1996, see reg. 1(1)" } ], "outstanding_effects": [ { "type": "coming into force", "affecting": "nisr/1996/198", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2001/56", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims: Consequential Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2001/56", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims: Consequential Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2001/56", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims: Consequential Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/1999/468", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999" }, { "type": "words substituted", "affecting": "nisr/1997/138", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Mariners' Benefits) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997" }, { "type": "substituted", "affecting": "nisr/1997/138", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Mariners' Benefits) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/1997/138", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Mariners' Benefits) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/1999/107", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/2003/329", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Students and Income-Related Benefits Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2004/308", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/2004/308", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2006/234", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2006/234", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2006/234", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2006/359", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No. 4) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/2006/234", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/2006/234", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "substituted", "affecting": "nisr/2006/359", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No. 4) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/2006/234", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006" }, { "type": "text amended", "affecting": "nisr/2008/290", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Students Responsible for Children or Young Persons) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008" }, { "type": "words substituted", "affecting": "nisr/2008/112", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2008/286", "affecting_title": "The Employment and Support Allowance (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/2008/478", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2008/478", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2008/478", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2008/286", "affecting_title": "The Employment and Support Allowance (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008" }, { "type": "text amended", "affecting": "nisr/2010/144", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Lone Parents) (Availability for Work) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010" }, { "type": "text amended", "affecting": "nisr/2010/144", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Lone Parents) (Availability for Work) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010" }, { "type": "added", "affecting": "nisr/2012/284", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Members of the Reserve Forces) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012" }, { "type": "words substituted", "affecting": "nisr/2014/192", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker's Allowance (Homeless Claimants) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014" }, { "type": "inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2014/192", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker's Allowance (Homeless Claimants) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014" }, { "type": "substituted", "affecting": "nisr/2015/184", "affecting_title": "The Social Security (Members of the Reserve Forces) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015" }, { "type": "words inserted", "affecting": "nisr/2015/138", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Extended Period of Sickness) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015" }, { "type": "omitted", "affecting": "nisr/2015/138", "affecting_title": "The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Extended Period of Sickness) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015" } ], "provenance": { "source": "legislation.gov.uk", "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/1996/198/regulation/14", "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T02:36:06.555307+00:00" }, "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0", "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/", "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives." }