The amount of money taken from claimants has risen by 3,000% under the coalition, the Public and Commercial Services Union(PCS) has claimed today. The news comes as a report issued by a group of churches finds that hunger is being used to control claimants behaviour.{jcomments on}

According to the PCS, in 2010/11 a total of £11 million was withheld from JSA claimants because of sanctions.

But analysis of recent DWP data suggests that, in the year to September 2014, £355 million has been withheld from claimants in the year to September 2014.

The PCS points out that a four week sanction for an offence such as turning up 10 minutes late for a jobcentre appointment is worth around £300. They go on to say that:

“Recent crimes with a similar fine imposed by the courts include shining a laser pen at a police helicopter, described by magistrates as "extremely reckless behaviour which could have had horrific consequences".

Meanwhile, a report by Chuch Action on Poverty has found that 7 million weeks of sanctions were handed out in sanctions in 2013/14 and argues that:

The design of the sanctions system includes both the threat and the use of hunger as an instrument of policy.'

Comments

Write comments...
or post as a guest
Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Be the first to comment.

Free PIP, ESA & UC Updates!

Delivered Fortnightly

Over 110,000 claimants and professionals subscribe to the UK's leading source of benefits news.

 
iContact
We use cookies

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site, while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not. Please note that if you reject them, you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site.