Clear evidence that sanctions do not help people into sustained employment – Margaret Greenwood

Margaret Greenwood MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the announcement by the DWP that they will end financial sanctions lasting three years for benefit claimants, said:

“Labour has long been calling for the government to scrap its punitive sanctions regime.

“Six months is still a very long time to leave someone without any income at all. It is not just the individual who is affected, but their family too.

“There is clear evidence that sanctions and excessive conditionality do not help people into sustained employment. They also cause stress and anxiety for many and are one of the key reasons that people ask for help at food banks.

“Labour will scrap the Conservatives’ sanctions regime for good. We will deliver personalised employment support and invest in skills and training to create the decent jobs that people need”

Ends

Notes to editors

• There has been more than 30,000 sanctions completed with a duration of over six months, including more than 20,000 for Universal Credit.

DWP, ‘Data tables: benefit sanctions statistics to October 2018’, 19 February 2019,

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-sanctions-statistics-to-october-2018