Sunday 2 June 2013

Nearly a Third of Working Age People to be Under Harsh DWP Sanctioning Regime When Universal Credit Comes In!!!

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/about_us/media_centre/news_archive/universal_credit_-_the_next.aspx
12 million people to be moved to Universal Credit by 2017

Working age population of the UK is 38 million http://www.agediscrimination.info/statistics/Pages/CurrentUKpopulation.aspx

This means that nearly one third of working age people will be subject to the harsh benefit sanction regime that is currently in place for those claiming JSA.!!

Under current conditions those claiming JSA can be sanctioned by withdrawal of their benefits for various periods of time varying from 4 weeks to 3 years. 

When UC is rolled out then those in part time and low paid work will be subject to the sanctions regime and will be sanctioned ie have their benefits withdrawn if they do not comply with job search, applications etc.  This will come as a cruel shock to many people in low paid and part time work as they will be unaware that you can be sanctioned for such minor indiscretions as turning up late for an appointment or eg failing to comply for a job that the dwp tells you to which requires you to drive, when you have never passed your driving test so used your discretion.  You must follow orders no matter how ludicrous or expect to be sanctioned.