Last year our newsletters mentioned the tougher sanctions regimes introduced for JSA (October 2012) and ESA(December 2012). The first report on the operation of these sanctions has been released by the DWP. Key statistics for October 2012 up until June 2013 are– ‘Under the new sanctions regime, introduced on 22nd October 2012, a total of 1.35 million sanction decisions have been made up to June 2013, of which, 0.58 million were adverse decisions. 53 per cent of adverse decisions under the new sanctions regime were in the ‘Low’ group, 38 per cent in the ‘Intermediate’ group, and 9 per cent in the ‘High’ group. Under the new sanctions regime, just over one third (36 per cent) of adverse decisions were made because of a failure to actively seek employment, with 30 per cent because of a failure to participate in the Work Programme (and other training schemes), and 20 per cent because of a failure to attend an advisory interview. A total of 223 thousand individuals had received a low level sanction, 167 thousand individuals had received an intermediate level sanction and 48 thousand individuals received a high level sanction.... ESA sanctions- 11,400 sanctions for people in this group mainly because they didn’t take part in the programmes designed to help them move closer to getting a job.’
It’s important to advice clients who do not agree with their sanctions, and can show ‘good reason’, to challenge them by means of a revision and then appeal. This is especially true as repeat sanctions within one year escalate to greater periods of time. Note hardship payments can usually be claimed if a person has been sanctioned. Have your say (until 10/1/2014)– the government want you to contribute to an independent enquiry into sanctions.
See our new Benefits Updater 2014 course which includes how to challenge benefit sanctions and news of the claimant commitment being introduced now.