Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions on the effect of sanctions on the mental health of people who have been so sanctioned.

Alistair Burt

Ministers in the Department of Health and Department of Work and Pensions have not had any recent discussions about the effect of sanctions on the mental health of people who have been so sanctioned.

However, Ministers have many discussions with stakeholders about a range of issues, and the Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions met on 3 June and agreed to greater cross government working between their respective Departments. Following that meeting, the Department of Health and Department for Work and Pensions Work and Health Unit was created to improve the health and employment outcomes of benefit claimants.

We know that people come into contact with the welfare system at a time when they may be vulnerable because of unemployment and its associated consequences. The Department for Work and Pensions provides guidance and training for staff to help them identify and support people who may be vulnerable.