The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1997
These Regulations primarily amend the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/207), the Social Security (Back to Work Bonus) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/2570) and the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/2567) by both correcting a number of technical errors (regulations 2, 3 and 4) and making certain other amendments. In particular, those amendments—clarify what constitutes good cause for the purpose of any sanction imposed in accordance with Section 19(6)(c) and (d) of the Jobseekers Act 1995 (c. 18) (regulation 2(6) and (7));allow any pension payments made to a jobseeker as a result of the death of a person who was a member of a pension scheme, to be disregarded in the calculation of a contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance (regulation 2(9));provide that payments under the Iron and Steel Employees Re-adaptation Benefits Scheme should not be treated as earnings or as a compensation payment for jobseeker’s allowance purposes (regulation 2(12));provide that an income support claimant’s earnings should count towards a Back to Work Bonus if they are involved in a trade dispute and become incapable of work or enter their maternity pay period (regulation 3(5));clarify the formula whereby days of unemployment benefit count as days of entitlement to a contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance at the end of a transitionally protected period; and provide that the formula should not be used where a new award of a contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance which is transitionally protected is based on the same tax years as a previous non-linking award of unemployment benefit (regulation 4(4)).