An independent review into the use of benefit sanctions is required, particularly to establish if targets for sanctions exist, according to a committee of MPs.
The Work and Pensions Committee is calling for the review to ensure sanctions are being applied ‘appropriately, fairly and proportionately’. The report comes in the wake of new evidence which raises concerns about how sanctions are being applied by Jobcentres.
Dame Anne Begg, chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: ‘Benefit sanctions are controversial because they withhold subsistence-level benefits from people who may have little or no other income.
‘We agree that benefit conditionality is necessary but it is essential that policy is based on clear evidence of what works in terms of encouraging people to take up the support which is available to help them get back into work. The policy must then be applied fairly and proportionately.
‘The system must also be capable of identifying and protecting vulnerable people, including those with mental health problems and learning disabilities. And it should avoid causing severe financial hardship. The system as currently applied does not always achieve this.’
The report also calls for changes to the hardship payments system following concerns sanctions can leave people without enough money for food, heating or rent. It also warned that more needed to be done to ensure lessons are learnt following the death of something who has had their benefits sanctioned.
The report makes a number of recommendations for the DWP such as:
• Do not proceed with in-work sanctions beyond the existing pilot areas until robust evidence is available from the pilots
• Establish a small-scale pilot to test the efficacy of a more targeted approach to sanctions
• Develop new and more effective systems to monitor the destinations of claimants leaving benefit
• Develop guidance which is specifically intended to assist JCP staff to identify vulnerable claimants
A report published last week by Crisis warned that the use of benefit sanctions can increase the risk of someone becoming homeless.