Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Mark Simmonds (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 6 February 2006 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Seasonal Workers

Question: The Minister will be aware of the immense problems caused, particularly in Skegness, by the unannounced recent implementation of regulation 91, which relates to the jobseeker's allowance. That is causing significant hardship to seasonal workers, all of whom anticipated being able to claim benefit in the winter months, as they have done in previous years. That change in Government policy has led to people being evicted from their homes, people having to pawn their possessions, and people fainting through hunger in the Skegness benefits office. This matter requires the Minister's urgent attention. Will he assure me and my suffering constituents that he and his civil servants will look into it with the utmost urgency?

Answer: I have looked into the particular circumstances. In Lincolnshire, the remunerative work rules for seasonal workers were incorrectly applied prior to June 2005. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that there has been no policy change. The problem has been in deciding a condition of entitlement—namely, whether the customers in question are in remunerative work. Decision makers are now applying the legislation correctly. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that no action has been taken against customers who received JSA when the rules for seasonal workers were applied incorrectly and that no one has been asked to repay any benefit paid.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 442 c594
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Benefits rules Jobseeker's allowance Social security benefits Seasonal workers Skegness
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk