Benefits sanctions review needed now — Meacher

THE Government urgently needs to review the impact of punishing claimants by stopping benefits, says MP Michael Meacher

The Oldham West and Royton MP, argued in the Commons that sanctioning is overused and counter-productive, since victims are forced to concentrate on surviving rather than looking at work.

He told MPs the loss of benefits for four weeks after the first “offence”, growing to three months and eventually three years after more offences, is “driving people to destitution”.

Leading his debate Mr Meacher said: “I do not object to the use of sanctions in the tiny number of cases in which they might be needed as long as they are proportionate and reasonable. I do object to the hounding of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, often for trivial, ill-considered or utterly unjustified reasons, and driving them into destitution.”

He said people are being forced to use food aid and food banks to survive. Figures published last month showed about 68,000 people a year have their benefits stopped unfairly.

He added: “Regrettably, there is a toxic yet pervasive culture in Jobcentre Plus of “Sanction first, think later. There should be more common-sense discretion and much less of a rush to action.”

Debbie Abrahams, the Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, has also criticised the government for its investigations into “inappropriate” benefit sanctions after urging it to set up an independent review into the system.

The Government says the Work and Pensions department is “already committed to an independent review” to improve the operations of the sanctions process.