Statistics released by the DWP following a freedom of information request show that over half a million jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) claimants – well over one in six - received a sanction in the 12 months between April 2013 and March 2014.
The shock figures demonstrate the untruthfulness of Esther McVey’s claims before the work and pensions committee earlier this month.
McVey told the committee that very few people are sanctioned. More than one in six claimants hardly sounds like very few.
McVey also stated that once claimants were sanctioned it acted as a red flag and alerted the authorities that a person was vulnerable and in need of help.
Yet the statistics show that in the year between 1 July 2013 and 30 June 2014 almost 100,000 people received two sanctions and over 35,000 received three. Astonishingly almost 2,000 claimants were sanctioned ten times or more in a one year period.
It is hard to see how this can be reconciled with the claim that claimants who receive a sanction are regarded as vulnerable.
Download the full statistics from this link
Total number of individuals who a) received Jobseeker’s s Allowance and b) received at least one JSA adverse sanction decision, at any time during April 2009 and 31 March 2014 and at any time in each year in Great Britain : April 2007 to March 2014
| 2007/2008 | 256,021 | 12% |
| 2008/2009 | 286,694 | 10% |
| 2009/2010 | 386,979 | 11% |
| 2010/2011 | 523,042 | 15% |
| 2011/2012 | 460,780 | 13% |
| 2012/2013 | 557,858 | 16% |
| 2013/2014 | 568,430 | 18% |
Total number of individuals who received one or more Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) adverse sanction decisions,in Great Britain: 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014
| One adverse sanction decision | 372,461 |
| Two adverse sanction decisions | 99,621 |
| Three adverse sanction decisions | 35,170 |
| Four adverse sanction decisions | 14,873 |
| Five adverse sanction decisions | 7,103 |
| Six adverse sanction decisions | 3,755 |
| Seven adverse sanction decisions | 2,126 |
| Eight adverse sanction decisions | 1,381 |
| Nine adverse sanction decisions | 852 |
| Ten adverse sanction decisions | 1,881 |
| Total | 539,225 |
