Benefit sanctions ‘don’t help jobless’

SANCTION-free work programmes for unemployed people are more conducive to getting them into work, charities have told a Holyrood committee.

They argued the UK Government’s approach, where people can have their benefits stopped if they fail to meet certain requirements, is “counter-productive”.

New powers are being devolved to Holyrood that will mean, from April, Scottish ministers have the ability to design their own employment services for disabled people and those at risk of long-term unemployment.

The Government has said its programmes will be voluntary and will not include sanctions.

Giving evidence to the Social Security Committee, Rachel Stewart, of the Scottish Association for Mental Health, said: “I am delighted that there will be this voluntary element to the new programmes because many of our service users have been sanctioned and the cumulative effect of the sanctions has been so punitive and destruc- tive to the people that we support.”

She said 73% of sanctions issued to people claiming employment support allowance have been for those claiming for disabilities.

Inclusion Scotland, made up of organisations representing disabled people, said those with disabilities are three times as likely to be sanc- tioned as they are to find a job.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government and Parliament will decide how to design their own employment schemes under the new powers in the Scotland Act 2016.

“We will continue to work with them.”