The Commons Work and Pensions Committee has launched an inquiry into benefits sanctions and they’d like to hear from you.
The inquiry will look into how sanctions operate, recent developments, and what the evidence is that they work.
For example, they will look at the proposal to introduce a "yellow card" system which gives claimants 14 days to challenge a decision to impose a sanction before it is put into effect. The system was announced in late 2015 but has still not been implemented.
The Committee is inviting evidence on any or all of the following questions, from benefit recipients with experience of the system, or experts in the field:
- To extent is the current sanctions regime achieving its policy objectives?
- Is the current evidence base adequate and if not, what further information, data and research are required?
- What improvements to sanctions policy could be made to achieve its objectives better?
- Could a challenge period and/or a system of warnings for a first sanctionable offence be beneficial? If so, how should they be implemented?
- Are levels of discretion afforded to jobcentre staff appropriate?
- Are adequate protections in place for vulnerable claimants?
- What effects does sanctions policy have on other aspects of the benefits system and public services more widely? Are consequential policy changes required?
- To what extent have the recommendations of the Oakley review of Jobseekers’ Allowance sanctions improved the sanctions regime? Are there recommendations that have not been implemented that should be?
The deadline for written submissions is 25 May 2018.
You can find more details on this page
And you can send in your views from this page
