jobseekers allowance

Social security benefit included by the UK Conservative government in the Jobseekers Act 1995. The allowance became effective from October 1996. It replaced unemployment benefit and income support, combining them into one payment for the unemployed. The Labour government inherited the jobseekers allowance after winning the May 1997 general election.

The allowance can be denied if the applicant refuses to take a job offered, or a place in full-time training or education, or a place on an environmental task force. In January 2000 refusing to attend government-run courses on job interviews also became grounds for denying the allowance.