Regulation 4 Additional functions of local authorities

England, Wales and Scotland

(1)

A local authority to whom Part I of Schedule I to these Regulations applies may conduct a work-focused interview with, or provide assistance to, a person to whom paragraphs (2) and (3) apply, where the interview or assistance is requested or consented to by that person.

(2)

This paragraph applies to a person who resides in a postcode district identified in Part I of Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

(3)

This paragraph applies to any person making a claim for, or entitled to, any benefit specified in paragraph (4) and applies whether or not a person has had an interview in accordance with regulations made under section 2A of the Administration Act M1.

(4)

The benefits specified in this paragraph are—

(a)

income support;

(b)

housing benefit;

(c)

council tax benefit;

(d)

widow’s benefit;

(e)

bereavement benefits;

F1(ea)

bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014;

(f)

incapacity benefit;

(g)

severe disablement allowance;

(h)

F2carer’s allowance;

(i)

a jobseeker’s allowance;

(j)

disability living allowance.

(5)

For the purposes of paragraph (1), the request or consent may be made or given to —

(a)

the local authority conducting the interview or giving the assistance;

(b)

any person who, or authority which, may be specified as a designated authority for the purposes of section 2A(8) of the Administration Act; or

(c)

a person designated an employment officer for the purposes of section 9 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 M2.

(6)

For the purposes of carrying out functions under paragraph (1), a local authority may in particular—

(a)

obtain and receive information or evidence for the purpose of any work-focused interview to be conducted with that person;

(b)

arrange for the work-focused interview to be conducted by one of the following —

(i)

the Secretary of State;

(ii)

a person providing services to the Secretary of State; or

(iii)

a person providing services to, or authorised to exercise any function of, the local authority;

(c)

forward information supplied for the purpose of a work-focused interview to any person or authority conducting that interview;

(d)

take steps to identify potential employment or training opportunities for persons taking part in work-focused interviews;

F3(e)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f)

take steps to identify—

(i)

obstacles which may hinder a person in taking up employment or training opportunities;

(ii)

educational opportunities which may assist in reducing or removing such obstacles; and

(g)

record information supplied at a work-focused interview.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Reg. 4(4)(ea) inserted (coming into force in accordance with art. 1-3 of the amending S.I.) by The Pensions Act 2014 (Consequential, Supplementary and Incidental Amendments) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/422), arts. 1(2), 16
F2: Words in reg. 4(4)(h) substituted (1.4.2003) by The Social Security Amendment (Carer's Allowance) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2497), reg. 1(b), Sch. 2 paras. 1, 2
F3: Reg. 4(6)(e) omitted (14.8.2000) by virtue of The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1926), reg. 1(2), 10, Sch. 2 para. 4(a)

Marginal citations

M1: Section 2A was inserted by section 57 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999.
M2: 1995 c.18.