Sanction Regime Flawed, Shows Map
A map showing how benefits sanctions are enforced unevenly around the country is evidence of a ‘flawed’ and ‘punitive’ regime, a charity said today.
Jon Sparkes: ‘Evidence is mounting [the sanctions regime is] punitive and deeply flawed.’
A report conducted for Crisis by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University said benefit claimants were subject to a ‘postcode lottery’ on whether or not their benefits would be reduced as a penalty for not finding work.
The report also argued that frequent overturning of job centre sanction decisions following appeals shows that the system was unfair.
‘Around half of all “reconsidered” decisions are overturned and many JCP (Job Centre Plus) advisor referrals for sanction do not result in an adverse decision, suggesting that, on the front line, unfair and inappropriate decisions are being made,’ the report said.
The study suggested that homeless people are disproportionately hit by benefit sanctions.
Sanctions only currently apply to JSA claims and employment and support allowance (ESA) claims, not housing benefit. However under universal credit, JSA, housing benefit and other benefits will be merged into one payment made direct to households in most circumstances. This means sanctions could have an impact on social landlord rent arrears in the future.
According to statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), jobseeker allowance (JSA) sanctions under the coalition government rose to a high of 91,457 in October 2013 – the highest figure in any month since 2000. This was more than double the 44,218 figure in October 2009.
However, since this date there is also evidence that the number of JSA sanctions has dropped dramatically – there were 51,142 decisions to apply sanction in September last year.
The report’s authors said the variations in the distribution of sanctions was ‘startling’.
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: ‘The government has assured us that benefit sanctions are only for those who refuse to play by the rules. But evidence is mounting of a punitive and deeply flawed regime.’
Same Difference 
Sanctions are vital to root out the vast numbers of the idle and feckless. The World owes nobody a living, so quit your pathetic whining, and GET A JOB!!
LikeLike
Who the hell do you think you are talking to! There are NO jobs. You are made to go out and get a zero hours contract so that you are then off the unemployment register, yet you are still getting £59 per week from another benefit!
Could you get by on £59 per week? Well could you Mrs Mouth Almighty?
How about you become me – worked all my life, had a great job with the Health Authority and it was well paid. My husband worked all his life and had a brilliant career and was well paid. We had 3 children and never asked the state for anything. Then my husband comes home from work one day and says he doesn’t feel well, goes into the garden for some fresh air and collapses – he’d had a brain hemorrhage at the age of 32! He was in hospital for a long time, he has trouble with his back and legs, has short term memory loss and confusion. On top of that he gets diagnosed with COPD (google it) some time later. I had to give up my job to become his carer, he is medically signed off work for good.
I go into hospital a good few years later for an ankle fusion and end up having an amputation due to a surgeon’s negligence. I now have to use a prosthetic leg (when I can) or use my wheelchair. I can’t use it inside my home as the doors are too narrow.
I am also due to go into hospital to have a wrist fusion at the end of this month and can only pray that it goes well, and this is due to the fact that for 9 months, before the amputation, I had to hop on one leg as doctors and consultants tried and tried to save my leg. I now need both wrists fused, I need an operation on both shoulders, I need a knee replacement on the amputated leg, and now I’ve been told that I am suffering from severe arthritis and that I may need to go into a neck brace for a few months now and again!!!!
So, my life consists of both of us helping each other in any way we can and living on benefits that we are being told by the likes of scum like you to get a job. You try living on the amount we get, and it’s going to be cut even more if your beloved Cameron and Co get back in.
Its the likes of you that should be very careful as anyone can become disabled in just one second! And nobody is safe from that.
I actually hope you become disabled and find out what its like to be on the scrapheap with idiots like you taunting you.
Now go back into your little safe cupboard and beware of everything that you do ‘cos it could lead to a terrible disability!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Jay's Journal and commented:
Sanctions are the scourge of the country, after the tory party that is…
LikeLike