If you have a couple, he is aged 18 and she is 17 and four months pregnant can they claim JSA as a couple, provided they meet the other conditions, and would they get the reduced hardship rate?

If not what can they claim? At present he is getting JSA she was previously treated as a dependent but then that was stopped, apparently due to new rules which came into effect on 1 June, does anyone know what that is. She has applied for hardship allowance but been turned down as he is supposed to support her out of his single rate JSA.

As far as I am aware your clients should be able to claim as a joint couple, if they can show that she is exempt as she is incapable of work because of her pregnancy.