ESA sanctions hit new record high – Benefits and Work

Last Updated: February 18, 2015By

141216pregnantwomansanctionedSanctions against employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants in the work-related activity group have hit a new record high, according to DWP figures released today, Benefits and Work has reported.

In September 2014, the most recent month for which statistics are available, 3,828 ESA claimants were hit with a sanction. The total for the preceding month was 3,096.

3,453 of the September sanctions were for alleged failure to participate in work-related activity, the remainder for failure to attend a mandatory interview.

The DWP continue to refuse to supply any explanation as to why ‘new regime’ sanctions have more than trebled from 1,091 in December 2012 to their current level.

You can download the latest sanctions statistics from this link.

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9 Comments

  1. val February 19, 2015 at 1:30 am - Reply

    Hi,this is what happened to my son when he left a comment on his hardship allowance form after being sanctioned:
    https://unemployedtynewear.wordpress.com/2015/02/18/wasting-police-time-a-new-role-for-the-jobcentre/

    • Mike Sivier February 19, 2015 at 2:03 pm - Reply

      I’ve done an article about it. Thanks for the heads-up.

  2. Chris February 19, 2015 at 4:41 am - Reply

    Somewhere they say austerity has happened in the UK,
    yet the DWP has employed treble the sanction decision-makers and
    doctors are saying there has been a huge rise in malnutriton hospital admissions and kids are going down with Rickets, a hunger symptom.

    If conditionality all stopped, then tens of billions of pounds would be saved immediately, that could help the NHS.

    And the NHS budget would not be burdened with the sanctioned.

    • Mike Sivier February 19, 2015 at 2:02 pm - Reply

      Austerity has definitely happened in the UK!
      That’s why so much sanctioning is taking place; it’s why there are so many hospital admissions and you’d better believe it’s why rickets is on the rise!
      If conditionality stopped, then benefit fraud would rise. It’s a catch-22 that this government has made for itself.

  3. Jeffery Davies February 19, 2015 at 7:24 am - Reply

    This government should be taking to the hague for crimes against their own peoples but will the masses believe whot they done has a government I wonder their lies their
    abuse their callousness of meeting out sanctions I realy
    wonder why the masses allow this to happen but sadly we
    know why channels four and five bbc papers they nearly all owned by the tory elite

  4. Jeffery Davies February 19, 2015 at 7:32 am - Reply

    Strangely a family member yesterday brought up universal credit I told him do you claim any benefits
    no he said myself and his wife work ah I said you work
    five days your partner three days then I said think whot
    benefits do you claim none no I said do you get child tax credits or working tax credits you see I said know to you
    Realise whot these devils gave done to you all you are
    now a social scrounger by rtu ids standards your wife
    will be called into the job centre and asked whot is she going to do to get off benefits now I said whot are you going to tell me know he didn’t now whot to say but I said go and tell your workmates about it

  5. Jim Round February 19, 2015 at 10:41 am - Reply

    Will there be any discussion in parliament?
    I doubt it, I also see umemployment has fell again, hmmmm.
    Also, what happened to my other comment?

    • Mike Sivier February 19, 2015 at 2:21 pm - Reply

      What other comment?

      • Jim Round February 19, 2015 at 3:00 pm - Reply

        It’s alright, it’s been posted and I’ve replied, backlog eh? :-)

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