Editing Jobseeker's Allowance (section)

==Legislation==
{{Main article|Unemployment benefits}}

===Earlier history===
{{see|National Insurance|National Assistance|Supplementary Benefit}}
Unemployment Benefit was first introduced in 1911 under the [[National Insurance Act 1911]] to job seekers who had paid [[National Insurance]] contributions ("the stamp").  The maximum amount payable was seven shillings a week ({{inflation|UK|0.35|1911|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}).<ref name="nationalarchives.gov.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/insurance-introduced.htm|title=The Cabinet Papers - Insurance introduced|work=nationalarchives.gov.uk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417024645/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/insurance-introduced.htm|archive-date=17 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> These payments were thus made only to people who had recently been in work, and not simply to those on low incomes. Furthermore, benefits were only paid for up to twelve months, by which time a claimant had to have regained work.

The [[Unemployment Insurance Act 1921|Unemployment Insurance Act]] of March 1921 introduced a 'seeking work' test which required claimants to be actively seeking work and willing to accept employment paying a [[fair wage]]. In February 1922 a [[means test]] was introduced which excluded some, such as single adults who lived with relatives, from receiving benefit payments.<ref name="nationalarchives.gov.uk"/>

As a direct consequence of the return from war of injured servicemen,<ref>[[Hansard]] →{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhansrd.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-09-01 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813222059/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhansrd.htm |archive-date=13 August 2017 |df=dmy-all }} – UK Parliament [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/acts/j HANSARD 1803–2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121126175806/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/acts/j |date=26 November 2012 }}  – Retrieved 6 June 2012</ref><ref>secondary – The World at War 1973 (Jeremy Isaacs) – [https://www.imdb.com/media/rm1202887936/tt0071075 The Internet Movie Database] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315045017/http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1202887936/tt0071075 |date=15 March 2016 }} & [http://www.tkone.co.uk/index.php/projects/2-world-at-war TK one Ltd]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125081840/http://www.tkone.co.uk/index.php/projects/2-world-at-war |date=25 November 2010 }} – Retrieved 6 June 2012</ref> the [[Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944]] was brought into force to enable these to secure employment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/7-8/10/contents |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Butler |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FoDkxqEjlUcC |title=Business Planning: A Guide to Business Start-Up |date=2007-06-07 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-136-42348-2 |language=en}}</ref>

After the Second World War, [[National Assistance]] was introduced by the [[National Assistance Act 1948]] ([[11 & 12 Geo. 6]]. c. 29), allowing anyone of working age on a low income to apply for support.

National Assistance was replaced by [[Supplementary Benefit]] in November 1966, and Unemployment Benefit claimants could transfer to this after their initial entitlement had expired. Supplementary Benefit was later replaced by [[Income Support]] in April 1988.

===Legislation===

In 1995, legislation was passed through the House of Commons entitled the Jobseekers Act 1995.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ye_eN5adagIC&pg=PA20 |title=Welfare Reform Bill |date=2011 |publisher=[[The Stationery Office]] |isbn=978-0-215-55775-9 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1995 |chapter=18 |act=Jobseekers Act 1995}}</ref> The ''Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996''<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|year=1996|number=207|si=The Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996}}</ref> were produced within a period of six months from the act coming into force, with the change of Income Support provision to Jobseekers Allowance occurring on 7 October 1996.<ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=si|year=1996|number=2567|si=The Jobseeker's Allowance (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 1996}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Slynn |first1=Gordon |author-link=Gordon Slynn, Baron Slynn of Hadley |last2=Cooke |first2=Robin |author-link2=Robin Cooke, Baron Cooke of Thorndon |last3=Hope |first3=David |author-link3=David Hope, Baron Hope of Craighead |last4=Millett |first4=Peter |author-link4=Peter Millett, Baron Millett |last5=Scott |first5=Richard |author-link5=Richard Scott, Baron Scott of Foscote |date=2001-06-28 |title=Judgments - Chief Adjudication Officer v. Stafford and Another |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200102/ldjudgmt/jd010628/staff-1.htm |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=parliament.uk}}</ref> Previously, on 11 September 1996, the ''Social Security (Credits and Contributions) (Jobseeker's Allowance Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1996''<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|year=1996|number=2367|si=The Social Security (Credits and Contributions) (Jobseeker's Allowance Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendments)  Regulations 1996}}</ref> were created, brought before parliament five days later and subsequently made policy coming into force also on 7 October.

The change was introduced to ''streamline'' the systematic administration of benefits by improving claimant compliance and to partially remove the distinction between means-tested claimants and those claiming against contribution records.<ref>{{cite legislation UK |type=si |si=The Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 2013 |year=2013 |number=378}}</ref>

===Subsequent legislation===
{{confusing|date=July 2014}}
in April 2011 [[Iain Duncan Smith]] introduced a period of [[Mandatory Work Activity|mandatory work activity]] amounting to a maximum of four weeks of thirty hours each week in employment.  It was expected this activity would  be required of approximately 10,000 individuals. The main claimants who it was expected would be subject to mandatory work activity were those who had been 'signing on' for at least thirteen weeks. Despite this any recipient of Jobseeker-benefit could be required to take part in work activity regardless of how long that person had been 'signing on'.<ref name="The Stationery Office">{{cite book | url = https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:dZyfM3L2wBQJ:www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/GSSW/schram/whitemead.pdf+&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShxtfRb_9KLif7rJzDiphXckAOCY13gholTGBnx0nVUeiXWBPlbUDeB9UwIIm0XiyAS4M-_O9esKQKTIEp9kVmIqpUMtGC_fmnydZicGbn34xtloamU0dNhlnvbQk6nIZgnqRLy|id=B.J.Pol.S.507–532 30 |title=The Jobseeker's Allowance (Mandatory Work Activity Scheme) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011 No. 688): report by the Social Security Advisory Committee under Section 174 (1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and statement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in accordance with Section 174 (2) of that Act| author=Social Security Advisory Committee, Great Britain Department for Work and Pensions|date=14 March 2011 | access-date =6 June 2012|publisher=The Stationery Office, 14 March 2011|isbn=978-0-10-851040-3 }} provided by ''Sir Tilt''</ref>{{better source needed|reason=Google Docs is not an authoritative source, it is an open file storage site – anyone can upload any old rubbish there|date=March 2024}}

At some time the Social Security Advisory Committee felt a need for an initiative so the Employment Skills and Regulations Scheme was considered. The governmental bodies had a look at the ideas and felt they were not altogether correct. So the government only accepted the need for two-thirds of the total of changes suggested.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h1eM2gzrzM0C |title=The Jobseeker's Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise Scheme) Regulations 2011 (S.I.2011 No.917) |date=2011-03-31 |publisher=[[The Stationery Office]] |isbn=978-0-10-180582-7 |language=en}}</ref> In 2011 the [[Jobseeker's Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise Scheme) Regulations 2011|Jobseeker's Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise) Regulations]] were brought into force.  One part of the scheme required the long-term unemployed to participate in [[unpaid work]] activity for a maximum of six-months.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated. Previously cited "P. Shiner et al." which is not supported by the source--> |url=http://www.publicinterestlawyers.co.uk/news_details.php?id=209 |title=Graduate Issues Judicial Review Over Poundland Work |website=Public Interest Lawyers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125085025/http://www.publicinterestlawyers.co.uk/news_details.php?id=209 |archive-date=25 January 2012 |access-date=6 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|year=2011|number=917|si=The Jobseeker's Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise) Regulations 2011}}</ref>