Delay in benefits probe slammed

OLDHAM’S Liberal Democrat leader has slammed a delay in the release of the results of an investigation into the benefits system.

Councillor Howard Sykes has written to Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to voice his concerns.

Mr Duncan Smith commissioned the independent review into Jobseekers’ Allowance sanctions, headed by Matthew Oakley, a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Mr Oakley invited benefit claimants and campaign groups to submit evidence to a consultation which closed six months ago.

There was an expectation that Mr Oakley would present his report to Mr Duncan Smith on March 26 and it would then be released shortly after.

In his letter, Councillor Sykes says: “The results will be of tremendous interest to both benefit claimants and to opinion formers, so why the delay?”

Sanctions were first introduced by the last Labour Government to promote greater compliance by jobseekers with the requirements to be “available for and actively seeking work”, but the regime was revised following the introduction of the 2012 Welfare Reform Act.
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