Commentary on Sections Part 1 – Social Security Section 28: Period for which pilot schemes have effect etc.
168.This section amends section 29 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 and section 19 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007 which allow for the piloting of regulations made under specified enactments relating to working-age benefits. Piloting regulations can have effect only in specified areas and in relation to specified classes of persons. Persons can be selected for participation in schemes on a sampling basis. At the moment, piloting regulations can only have an effect for a maximum of 12 months under section 29(1) of the 1995 Act and a maximum of 24 months under section 19(1) of the 2007 Act. Subsections (1)(a) and (2) extend and align both these time limits to 36 months. Subsection (1)(b) amends section 29 of the 1995 Act to mirror the language used in section 19 of the 2007 Act so as to create consistency and to ensure that regulations which are aimed at making it more likely that persons will obtain or remain in work or be able to do so can be piloted.