Mandatory work

I don’t have great deal to do with JSA so forgive me if this has an obvious answer;

I know that JSA claimants can be required to do mandatory work (vis a vis the Poundland case of earlier this year) for up to 30 hours a week for up to four weeks at a time but how often can they be required to do this, is it once year or something like that or could the Jobseeker be made to go from one unpaid job to another week in week out.

Looking in the DMG I can se lots of diferent schemes and so forth, even if the jobseeker doesn’t have to do mandatory work placements ‘back to back’ are there any limits on how many of the other schemes he or she would have to participate in over a given period?

Sections 17A, 17B of the Jobseekers Act 1995 and the Jobseekers Allowance (Mandatory Work Activity Scheme) Regulations 2011 seem to be silent on the point.  However, these provisions should be read in conjunction with section 7 of the Act and regulation 18 of the Jobseekers Allowance Regulations 1996.  Note, particularly 18(3), and, especially what is reasonable.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/a11-0101.pdf

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/688/contents/made

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/a11-4001.pdf