Still a risk of sanction if you’re late to Jobcentre
Political Correspondent THE Work and Pensions minister, who is shutting six Jobcentres in Glasgow, has refused to give a guarantee that no one will be sanctioned if they are late for an appointment due to travel problems.
Alison Thewliss, Glasgow Central SNP MP, challenged Damian Hinds on the issue, arguing the closure of Bridgeton, with people forced to travel to Shettleston, will lead to lateness and missed appointments.
She said these people should not face sanctions as the reason would be down to the government closing the local Jobcentre and not the fault of the claimant.
She said it will take many people travel on two buses to get from Bridgeton to Shettleston.
Ms Thewliss asked Mr Hinds: “Will the Minister give a commitment that not a single one of my constituents will be sanctioned for being late because they could not get there on time because of his cuts?”
The minister however refused to give such a commitment and instead said it was expected that people would attend at the Jobcentre.
He did state that people do not get sanctioned if they have good reason. He did not say if that included being late because the Jobcentre is miles away and the local one was shut.
Mr Hinds said: “We expect people who are not in work to have the working week effectively available for their job-search activities, including visiting the Jobcentre and, of course, applying for jobs.
“As I think the honourable lady already knows, the rate of sanctions is down significantly. The vast majority of people do not get sanc- tioned every month, and we run a policy of having a reasonable approach.
“If people have a good reason for not being at an appointment, they will not be sanctioned.”
The DWP is closing Jobcentres in Anniesland, Bridgeton, Easterhouse, Langside Maryhill and Parkhead. It saved Castlemilk after campaigns including the Evening Times Hands Off Our Jobcentres highlighted the travel distance and time it would take to get from Easterhouse to Newlands.
The Evening Times tested the route which involved two buses and took 41 minutes and some walking also, making it difficult for someone with childcare commitments to make an early morning appointment.
Mr Hinds was also challenged over the lack of computer skills in the East End, home to some of the poorest parts of the city where three job centres were shutting.
Lesley Laird, Labour shadow Scottish Secretary, said Glasgow East has one of the highest claimant counts but that 35% do not have internet access and more than half are not computer literate.
She said: “Yet the Government are still closing three jobcentres, one of which serves three homeless shelters. Ms Laird asked: “What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of closures on service users, many of whom rely on face-toface interaction with jobcentre staff?”
Mr Hinds said people will get help in the Jobcentre.
He said: “We think it is right to move to larger Jobcentres in which we can do more. They are better equipped and have computers to ensure that facility is there, and there are specialists in the jobcentre who can help people with the computers and get through the problems of digital exclusion the honourable lady mentions.”