EEA Jobseeker gap in claim

Client is an EEA jobseeker who was getting ibJSA and HB until early May. He than had a short gap of 3 weeks and 3 days in his JSA claim, because he missed a signing on date, and did not reclaim JSA immediately, and consequently he lost his entitlement to HB as he was then hit by the new rules. 

There does not seem to be any chance of him having R2R through any other route than as a jobseeker. 

I just wanted to double check I hadn’t missed any linking rules (in relation to the gap between the JSA claims being so short) that would assist him to continue to be eligible for HB.  Just clutching at straws, really, seems to be the way of it these days.

No, the saving provisions in the HB amending Regs are very simple: if you were on both JSA(ib) and HB immediately before 1/1/14 you are protected until:

- you make a claim for HB, or
- you cease to be entitled to JSA(ib)

HB Reg 2 treats people as being on JSA while sanctioned, but if there is a gap where they are just not on the JSA books at all then it’s curtains for the HB claim.

Thanks, that’s what I thought.  Just wanted to make doubly sure I’d not missed something.