Record level of UC sanctions

Details: Published: 22 May 2022

Universal credit (UC) sanctions reached a record level in January of this year, according to statistics released by the DWP.

During the pandemic the DWP removed work search and availability requirements for UC claimants and suspended face-to-face interviews, but these were reintroduced gradually from July 2020.

According to the latest figures, prior to the pandemic 2.51% of UC claimants were hit with a sanction. But in February of this year that proportion had risen to 3.90%.

There were 38,200 adverse sanction decisions on UC full service in January 2022. This is the highest number of adverse sanction decisions on UC full service ever recorded.

The DWP says that in February 2022, 36.3% of UC claimants were in the conditionality groups that could be subject to sanction. This includes claimants in the “searching for work”, “planning for work”, “preparing for work” or “unknown” conditionality groups.

You can read the full UC sanctions statistics here.

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lesley · 2 years ago
https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/6e9c7989-50c4-4845-9a7a-9f7525f9b55e

On Wednesday 25 May, the disability benefit assessment companies – Atos (Independent Assessment Services), Capita and Maximus – are called to answer questions from MPs on the all-party Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into disability benefit assessments. Disabled women and men will be watching closely.(quoted from WinVisible - Disablilty Campaigning Group)
I am on their mailing list.

I do hope that you can open the link. This was televised Wednesday 25th May 2022.
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  Lesley · 2 years ago
  
  @MrFibro Dear MrFibro,
  Am sure you are right.
  I actually did not get around to watching all of it.
  Just thought some members might find it interesting and have the patience to watch it all.
  Thanks for watching the video and for your comments.
  Well done and good luck.
  
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  MrFibro · 2 years ago
  
  @lesley Hi Lesley,
  
  I opened the link, comes across to me as if atos / capita/ maximus seemed to have some worried looking faces amongst them.
  
  I wasn't impressed with some of their comments saying, we do aspire to offer compassionate and empathetic and a quality service to all claimants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  After hearing that bloke say that i stopped watching further. They just lie through their back teeth, as they need these government contracts because they're worth in the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds, and ever on the increase.
  
  I have never ever met any assessor that had any compassion or empathy towards me at all the assessments i have gone through. Instead they put through hell by means of me having to go to tribunals and MR's to get my benefits.
  
  A simply method of assessment for long term ill sick and or disabled people is to simply park them up after they have submitted substantial evidence. It should not even get to a situation where claimants have to jump through hoops. Especially if your illnesses are degenerative.
  
  These committee's are a waste of time. These assessing corporations/ companies, and their assessors are only in it for greed, via fat cat bonuses earned at the claimants expense and subsequently their health, which is caused to significantly decline.
  
  Regards.
  
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Jeff Smith · 2 years ago
The whole basis of Universal Credit, is to force people off benefits, and into work. So inevitably, there are a whole list of 'offences' for which a claimant can be punished by sanction. It pays to remember, that these sanctions can leave people absolutely destitute. Hunger, and possible homelessness, used as a potential punishment to force compliance. In this new system there is no room for compassion, and when people protest at being forced to apply for unsuitable work, or fail to undertake every single oppressive requirement of their Claimant Commitment, they can be sanctioned.
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  MrFibro · 2 years ago
  
  @Jeff Smith Only solution, which is 2 years away, is to vote the Tories out of power @ the may 2024 general election.
  
  In the interim we have no choice but to suffer, as there's no one whose capable of taking on the DWP and win.
  
  Incidentally this sunak's rise of the cost of living crisis, and this financial package he is going to announce (10 billion quid), i did read it's not yet clear how this package will be dished out).
  
  One suggestion was he could be bringing UC inline with the current inflation rate, or maybe some form of a one off payment.
  
  All the media i have read about this, and not one states in their media reports that disabled claimants on legacy benefits will be on the receiving end of this windfall or whatever you would like to call it.
  
  Our needs are no less needy than those who receive UC.
  
  Good luck to all.
  
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