Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of sanctions on employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

Priti Patel

Claimants are only asked to meet reasonable requirements taking into account their circumstances and capability, including mental health conditions, disability and caring responsibilities.

International evidence is clear that benefit systems supported by conditionality are effective at moving people into work.

Sanctions encourage claimants to comply with reasonable requirements. These requirements are developed and agreed by claimants with their Work Coach to help them move into/prepare for work. Evidence shows that sanctions have a positive impact on behaviour – over 70% of JSA and over 60% of ESA claimants say that sanctions make it more likely they will follow the rules.

The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the effects sanctions have on the employment outcomes of people with disabilities