(1) A person who, in respect of any period of interruption of employment, has been entitled to jobseeker's benefit for 156 days shall not thereafter, subject to (3), (3A), (3C), (4A) or (4C), be entitled to that benefit for any day of unemployment (whether in the same or a subsequent period of interruption of employment) unless before that day he or she has requalified for benefit or unless, in the case of a person over 65 years of age and under pensionable age, he or she has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 156 contribution weeks in the period between his or her entry into insurance and the day for which jobseeker's benefit is claimed.

(2) Where a person entitled to jobseeker's benefit for 156 days has exhausted his or her right to jobseeker's benefit -

(a) he or she shall requalify for that benefit when he or she has qualifying contributions in respect of 13 contribution weeks begun or ended since the last day for which he or she was entitled to that benefit, and