Government accused of 'Scrooge-like' attitude to Christmas as jobseekers could face benefit sanctions for missing appointments on Christmas Eve
The DWP will continue implementing George Osborne's austerity measures with a 'business-as-usual' approach over Christmas, despite MP's objections
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Families could potentially face benefit sanctions on Christmas Day this year as the Government was accused of having a "Scrooge-like approach" to the holiday period.
Hannah Bardell, the SNP member for Livingston, told the House of Commons that the Department of Work and Pensions plans to "operate business as usual" around the public holiday.
It means people on disability benefit or Jobseeker’s allowance could be denied access to funds if they fail to turn up for appointments up until or on Christmas Eve.
Jobcentre Plus branches in Scotland are open on Christmas Eve, but they are closed in England and Wales.
Ms Bardell called for Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, to be "held to account on this matter".
"We have to have this dealt with appropriately, so we don’t have a Scrooge-like approach to Christmas," she said.
If claimants are sanctioned, they are refused benefits for a minimum of four weeks – but it can be up to three years in extreme cases.
According to research last year by the Public and Commercial Services Union, an estimated 80,000 UK families faced having their benefits stopped over Christmas, based on the monthly averages of sanctions delivered.
The latest available DWP figures showed 26,939 JSA claimants were handed sanctions in June this year.
A statement from the DWP at the release of the latest statistics said: "Sanctions are an important part of our benefits’ system and while the overwhelming majority of claimants play by the rules, it is right that there is a system in place for tackling those few who do not fulfil their commitment to find work."
If the DWP is to reverse its policy before the Commons breaks up itself for the Christmas period – it will have to do so on Thursday.
A DWP spokesman said: "Jobcentres are there to help people into work, no matter what time of the year it is.
"Sanctions are only applied as a last resort and the number of JSA sanctions have halved over the last year."
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