Jobseeker’s Allowance Chris Grayling 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. Mr. Plaskitt 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |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.| | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chris Grayling 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; (2) what guidance Jobcentre Plus gives to its staff on the provision for jobseeker’s allowance claimants to go on holiday. Mr. Plaskitt 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. Dr. Kumar 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. Mr. Plaskitt The information is in the following table: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |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).| | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------