Health alert over benefit sanctions

Reporter: Robbie Gill
Date published: 12 February 2015


OLDHAM East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams has attacked the Government after hearing 60 per cent of Oldham people using foodbanks do so because benefit sanctions have stopped their income.

Mrs Abrahams raised concerns with Employment minister Esther McVey at the final session of a select committe inquiry into the use of sanctions.

Statistics from the Trussell Trust show that 45 per cent of foodbank use across the UK is due to claimants having been sanctioned.

Mrs Abrahams, who instigated the select committee’s inquiry into sanctions, said: “Once again Esther McVey has shown a stunning disregard for the mountain of evidence provided during this inquiry.”

Mrs Abrahams went on to detail how sanctions were exacerbating physical and mental health problems.

She gave one example of a woman who discharged herself from hospital because she feared being sanctioned if she missed a Jobcentre Plus appointment.

She said: “Anyone who has been following this inquiry and heard the evidence will fully understand why the Government will never allow a full inquiry. They know inappropriate sanctioning is damaging the health and mental wellbeing of tens of thousands of people. In my own constituency 60 per cent of foodbank usage is down to people being sanctioned. The Government is deliberately forcing people off benefits and into poverty so they can skew unemployment data.”

The DWP has denied any wrongdoing in the use of sanctions and said they are only used as a last resort.