The government has announced-'...Hardship payments act as a safety net to cover day-to-day living costs, and are issued immediately to individuals who are sanctioned and meet certain criteria like having children, or a long-term health condition. Other jobseekers cannot claim payments for the rst 14 days of a sanction...The criteria will now extend immediate access to homeless people and individuals with a mental health condition.'
The change is expected to help around 10,000 people over 4 years from 2017/18 to 2020.
Remember though that studies show that clients in this group are sanctioned far more than other groups. Also, when a client gets on to Universal Credit and is sanctioned then the hardship payments have to be paid back!
Book now for our updated Introduction to Welfare Bene ts 2017 course.