{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-reform-northern-ireland-order-2015/article-23",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-reform-northern-ireland-order-2015/article-23.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/2015/2006",
  "legislation_title": "The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-reform-northern-ireland-order-2015",
  "path": "article/23",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "23",
  "heading": "Work availability requirement",
  "text": "(1) In this Part a “work availability requirement” is a requirement that a claimant be available for work.\n(2) For the purposes of this Article “available for work” means able and willing immediately to take up paid work (or more paid work or better-paid work).\n(3) Regulations may impose limitations on a work availability requirement by reference to the work to which it relates; and the Department may in any particular case specify further such limitations on such a requirement.\n(4) A limitation under paragraph (3) may in particular be by reference to—\n(a) work of a particular nature,\n(b) work with a particular level of remuneration,\n(c) work in particular locations, or\n(d) work available for a certain number of hours per week or at particular times,\nand may be indefinite or for a particular period.\n(5) Regulations may for the purposes of paragraph (2) define what is meant by a person being able and willing immediately to take up work.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Art. 23 in operation at 2.5.2016 for specified purposes by S.R. 2016/215, art. 2(2)(b)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "Art. 23 in operation at 27.9.2017 for specified purposes by S.R. 2017/190, art. 4(3)-(6), Sch. 1 (with art. 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I3",
      "text": "Art. 23 in operation at 15.11.2017 and 13.12.2017 for specified purposes by S.R. 2017/216, art. 3 (with art. 6) (as amended (15.1.2018) by S.R. 2018/1, art. 7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I4",
      "text": "Art. 23 in operation at 17.1.2018 and further specified dates for specified purposes by S.R. 2018/1, art. 3 (with art. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I5",
      "text": "Art. 23 in operation at 16.5.2018 and further specified dates for specified purposes by S.R. 2018/97, art. 3 (with art. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I6",
      "text": "Art. 23 in force at 5.9.2018 and further specified dates for specified purposes by S.R. 2018/138, art. 3 (with art. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I7",
      "text": "Art. 23 in force at 1.2.2019 for specified purposes by S.R. 2019/7, art. 2(1)-(3) (with art. 2(4)(11))"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I8",
      "text": "Art. 23 in operation at 30.3.2022 in so far as not already in operation by S.R. 2022/132, art. 3 (with arts. 4, 5, Sch.)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2015/2006/article/23",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:38:57.312183+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."
}