Temporary employment period for sole parent and grandparented clients before 30 June 2026

When a client has commenced full-time employment they will no longer qualify for Jobseeker Support.

However, sole parent and grandparented clients whose income is charged annually can work full-time for a temporary period if:

• their Jobseeker Support commenced (or last commenced) before 1 July 2025, and
• they have not yet completed the 26 week reapplication process before their final 52 week expiry date and moved to the 26 week expiry and reapplication cycle and
• they have not moved to weekly income charging due to a change in circumstances that means they are no longer a sole parent or grandparented client, and
• their income, when assessed over 52 weeks, does not fully reduce their benefit.

This is a transitional arrangement.

For more information see:

• Annual income for sole parent and grandparented clients before 30 June 2026

Sole parent and grandparented Jobseeker Support clients who can work for a temporary period, can work full-time for a period of up to 26 weeks.

The temporary employment period gives the client a reasonable amount of time to increase their earnings and become independent.

The temporary employment period must not exceed 26 weeks.

During the temporary employment period MSD should continue to support the client by:

• working with them to increase their earnings from the temporary full-time employment
• referring them to other offers of suitable employment
• referring them to training courses.

The client will continue to have work obligations during the temporary employment period.

The obligation to accept offers of suitable employment still applies. If the client refuses an offer of suitable employment without a good and sufficient reason, they may be subject to an obligations failure.

For more information see:

• Obligations failures
• Suitable employment

If a client is still working full-time during a temporary employment period when they reach their final 52 week expiry and reapplication date, their Jobseeker Support cannot be regranted.

This is because the temporary employment period is only available to sole parent and grandparented Jobseeker Support clients who have annual income charging, which ends when they reach their final 52 week expiry date.

For more information see:

• Completing the 26 week reapplication process

If the client continues to work full-time at the end of the temporary employment period, their benefit will be cancelled as they will no longer qualify for Jobseeker Support.

Example

Erin is a grandparented Jobseeker Support client. She advises MSD that she is commencing employment as a ranger with a local nature reserve, and will be working, on average, more than 30 hours per week and will be earning minimum wage. Erin will not be earning enough income to fully reduce her benefit.

Erin can continue to get Jobseeker Support and work full-time for up to 26 weeks from the day she commenced full-time employment.

At the end of the 26 weeks, Erin continues to work full-time at the nature reserve. Her Jobseeker Support is cancelled as she no longer qualifies for Jobseeker Support.

If the client has a change in circumstances that means they no longer qualify to have their Jobseeker Support continued during the temporary period of full-time employment, their benefit must be stopped.

Example

Abria is a sole parent client getting Jobseeker Support who is currently working full-time for 15 weeks and having her income charged annually over 52 weeks.

In the 13th week of her temporary employment period, Abria's youngest dependent child, Jay, leaves her care.

As Abria is no longer getting Jobseeker Support as a sole parent her Jobseeker Support is suspended.

Abria's contacts MSD after week 15 when her full-time work ends and her Jobseeker Support is resumed, payable at the appropriate single rate.