Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many decisions were made to apply a sanction to a (a) single and (b) joint Universal Credit claim where at least one claimant received the Personal Independence Payment in the period since June 2020.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

People are only sanctioned if they fail to meet their agreed requirements or fail to take up or stay in employment without good reason. Conditionality requirements are tailored to the claimant’s circumstances, including any physical or mental health conditions, so they are reasonable and achievable.

Emphasis is placed on protecting vulnerable claimants. Prior to any referral for a sanction, a pre-referral quality check at local Jobcentre level takes place to ensure it is appropriate in the circumstances.