Meacher slams ‘too harsh’ sanctions

MORE than 440 people across Oldham had their benefits stopped in one month — more than other areas of Greater Manchester.

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher said the figures show “huge” discrepancies between Oldham and comparable areas. In Oldham 443 jobseekers were sanctioned, compared to 310 in Rochdale, 214 in Salford, 229 in Stockport. Wigan, with a significantly larger population than Oldham but a smaller number of claimants, saw only 234 people penalised.

Mr Meacher said: “Why are penalties so severe in Oldham compared with other areas? I do not believe it is because people in Oldham are behaving significantly differently from those in other areas so it must be there is a tougher and harsher line taken against claimants at the Oldham centre.

“Huge numbers across Oldham are being deprived of benefits whether that be for weeks or months, even though they might have contributed all their life. I experience many cases in my surgeries of people being sanctioned for arriving a few minutes late or information being sent to the wrong address by the JobCentre despite having been told of the new address.

“From these figures it would see Oldham are taking a tougher and more harsh approach to people and that is simply not acceptable.”

Sanctions can range from four weeks for a first offence to three months and then three years. The figures given from the Commons library cover March, 2014, which the Government says are the latest available.

Mr Meacher said he will be asking more questions after government refused to explain the large discrepancies.