Jobseeker's Allowance

(asked on 8th December 2016) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that jobseeker's allowance claimants who have worked abroad for more than 13 weeks but are normally resident in the UK are exempted from the three-month rule.


Answered by
Damian Hinds Portrait
Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
This question was answered on 15th December 2016

It has always been the case that any UK national who returns to this country after an extended period must demonstrate they are habitually resident to be eligible for income-related benefits. Since 1 January 2014, most jobseekers must also have been living in the UK for three months before any consideration can be given to whether they are habitually resident to be eligible to receive income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Regulations were amended from 9 November 2014 to exempt from the three month residence requirement members of the Armed Forces and Crown servants who were serving abroad and others who had paid certain types of UK national insurance contributions at some point during their absence abroad. We have no plans to introduce further exemptions from the three month requirement.

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