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Jobseeker’s Allowance

Volume 472: debated on Thursday 6 March 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on jobseeker’s allowance (a) were sanctioned and (b) had their claim terminated because they went abroad in each of the last 10 years. (185885)

When jobseekers go abroad, they no longer fulfil the entitlement conditions required for jobseeker’s allowance and the jobseeker’s entitlement ends.

The number of people on jobseeker’s allowance that have had their claim terminated because they went abroad in each of the last 10 years is in the table.

Jobseekers allowance claimants who have flowed-off benefit and gone abroad, Great Britain, December 1998 to December 2007

As at December each year

Claimants who have gone abroad

1998

6,480

1999

6,405

2000

6,620

2001

6,225

2002

5,600

2003

5,285

2004

4,760

2005

4,565

2006

6,030

2007

5,585

Note:

Number of claimants rounded to the nearest five.

Source:

Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what guidance Jobcentre Plus gives to claimants of jobseekers allowance wishing to go on holiday; (185889)

(2) what guidance Jobcentre Plus gives to its staff on the provision for jobseeker’s allowance claimants to go on holiday.

Jobcentre Plus training and guidance to staff supports and reinforces the advice given to jobseekers. The ES40 leaflet “Jobseeker’s Allowance and getting back to work”, given to all jobseekers at their new jobseeker interview, sets out the requirement that the jobseeker must tell Jobcentre Plus if they change their address or go away from home, even if it is for a day. This message is further reinforced in the forms that jobseekers are required to complete to notify such absences.

Jobcentre Plus provides advice and guidance to its staff to equip them to explain to jobseekers the impact going away from home may have on entitlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed jobseeker’s allowance in (a) the UK, (b) the North East, (c) the Tees Valley and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland in each year since 1997. (187455)

The information is in the following table:

Number of jobseekers allowance claimants

As at January each year

UK

North East

Tees Valley

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland

1997

1,907,755

107,320

31,875

3,960

1998

1,479,265

93,660

28,985

3,520

1999

1,386,410

88,595

26,735

3,175

2000

1,236,380

81,765

25,615

3,050

2001

1,077,770

72,230

22,145

2,785

2002

1,021,465

66,590

20,610

2,575

2003

998,035

60,275

18,375

2,280

2004

952,430

54,720

17,015

2,085

2005

872,070

48,175

14,340

1,705

2006

955,335

51,085

15,315

1,790

2007

965,095

54,700

16,705

1,985

2008

830,540

50,360

15,420

1,860

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

2. Tees Valley consists of the local authorities of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton.

Source:

Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (including clerically held cases).