Looking for the Statutory Instrument with the rules for the new Job Grant from 25 October - have found the one which amends the Back to Work bonus and Lone Parent Run On, but can't find the actual Job Grant one

had a scout around and not found any regs yet ...

a possible clue is that in HB circular A30/2004 it says "Job Grants are payable under Section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973"

.... anyone else?

I have a horrible feeling that there are no Regulatiosn about Job Grant - another example of New Labour's unopposed tendency to extend non appealable discretion.

Indeed you're right, there is no regulation, the reply I got from the Job Centre plus was as follows.

we are not introducing any new legislation for the Job Grant. It is covered under Section 2 of the Employment & Training Act 1973.


As for the rest it seems to me that if there were no Job Grant, as was the situation prior to them coming in, the right of appeal wouldn't be a problem. It's like Bill Clinton said before he became president "if I get elected I'll make mistakes because I'll actually do something, and that's what makes me different from the current president."

The problem with lack of appeal rights in social security is that it creates a serious imbalance between the state and individual citizens. With no effective ability to challenge decsions and to hold benefit administrators to account, it is easy for poor practices to develop among benefit administrators.

This is not a mere philosphical point, but one concerend with countering the negative impact of social policy on real people.

That's also one of the difficulties with the desire to see a system which can relate to individual needs and circumstance. Regulations tend to offer objectivity, duiscretion tends to unfairness and prejudice.

more job grant info available in a Jobcentre Plus briefing, now available @

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/pdfs/Job_Centre_Plus_briefing_Job_Grant.doc