Cruel Benefit Sanctions to Resume Work and Pensions Secretary Theresa Coffey Announces

BENEFIT SANCTIONS - Benefit sanctions are set to resume from Wednesday despite calls for the £20 a week coronavirus increase in Universal Credit to be made permanent to avoid thousands of claimants falling into poverty.

Image: The Work and Pensions Secretary Theresa Coffey. 

The Work and Pensions Secretary Theresa Coffey confirmed in Parliament on Monday that the temporary reprieve is to end and claimants will once again be sanctioned if they fail to comply with conditionality requirements for benefits. 

The reinstatement of the controversial penalties – among the most punitive aspects of the social security system – was swiftly condemned by the Opposition against a backdrop of soaring unemployment, a huge surge in Universal Credit applications since lockdown, and more than 14 million people, including 4.2 million children, officially in poverty even before COVID-19. 

Sanctions, which dock people's benefits if they do not follow government rules, were formally halted for three months from March 30 for anyone failing to look for work or attend an interview.

At the time the government said the blanket ban would "initially be for three months" but "will be reviewed and may be extended ... if required."

There has been widespread condemnation of the governments policy of pushing the blame on unemployed claimants at a time unemployment is about to skyrocket as government support is withdrawn.  

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