Jobcentre staff are sanctioning benefits claimants inappropriately for minor infringements when they should use discretion, a cross-party group of MPs has found
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An “unprecedented” number of those dependent on welfare were punished in the year to June 2013, according to a report into Jobcentre Plus published today by the Work and Pensions Committee.
This amounted to five per cent of all Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants getting sanctioned every month and the group said many of these punishments were disproportionate.
“Evidence suggests that JCP staff have referred many claimants for a sanction inappropriately or in circumstances in which common sense would dictate that discretion should have been applied”, the MPs said.
The group is calling for a major independent review of sanctioning, beyond the narrow review already being conducted by Government, to “ensure that the rules are being applied fairly and appropriately”.
Dame Anne Begg MP, chair of the committee, said: “If people are being sanctioned for petty things you might end up driving them away from the labour market. If you’ve no money coming in, you become dependent on foodbanks and there’s a cycle of decline that makes you less likely to enter the labour market.”
Homeless charity Centrepoint welcomed the report, saying a third of the young people it supports on JSA have been sanctioned in the last six months.
A DWP spokeswoman said: "The report recognises that Jobcentre Plus responds well to changes and is cost effective. Every day Jobcentre advisers are successfully helping people realise their aspiration to move off benefits and into work so they can secure their future.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments