Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

(asked on 17th July 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to assist households facing financial difficulties as a result of benefit sanctions.


Answered by
Alok Sharma Portrait
Alok Sharma
COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
This question was answered on 25th July 2018

Sanctions are only used in a minority of cases, when people fail to meet their conditionality requirements without good reason. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of good reason, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted

We have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene, as a result of their sanction.

Additionally, claimants on legacy benefits will continue to receive passported benefits, such as Housing Benefits, when they are sanctioned. Similarly, in Universal Credit, claimants will continue to receive other elements they are entitled to, such as the housing and children element.

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