Section 40R — Social Security (Administration) Act 1999: Persons engaged in work

Persons 55 and over (1) A person who has reached 55 years of age is not required to satisfy the employment pathway plan requirements in respect of a period of 2 weeks if: (a) unless paragraph (b) applies—the person: (i) is engaged in approved unpaid voluntary work for an approved organisation for at least 30 hours in that 2-week period; or (ii) is engaged, for at least 30 hours in that 2-week period, in a combination of approved unpaid voluntary work for an approved organisation and of paid work that the Secretary regards as suitable; or (iii) is engaged for at least 30 hours in that 2-week period in paid work that the Secretary regards as suitable; or (b) if the person is under 60 years of age and that 2-week period begins before the end of 12 months starting on the day the person starts to receive jobseeker payment or special benefit—the person: (i) is engaged, for at least 30 hours in that 2-week period, in work consisting of a combination of approved unpaid voluntary work for an approved organisation and of at least 15 hours of paid work that the Secretary regards as suitable; or (ii) is engaged for at least 30 hours in that 2-week period in paid work that the Secretary regards as suitable. (2) For the purposes of this section: (a) approved unpaid voluntary work is work, either full-time or otherwise, that has been approved by the Employment Secretary for the purposes of this section; and (b) an approved organisation is an organisation that has been approved by the Employment Secretary for the purposes of this section. Principal carers and people with partial capacity to work (3) A person is not required to satisfy the employment pathway plan requirements in respect of a period of 2 weeks if the person: (a) is the principal carer of at least one child or has a partial capacity to work; and (b) is engaged for at least 30 hours in that 2-week period in paid work that the Secretary regards as suitable. Note 1: For principal carer see subsections 5(15) to (24) of the 1991 Act. Note 2: For partial capacity to work see section 16B of the 1991 Act.