Committee hold evidence session into benefit sanctions

• Parliament TV: benefit sanctions policy beyond the Oakley review session
• Transcript of the session
• Inquiry: Benefit sanctions policy beyond the Oakley review
• Work and Pensions Committee

Witnesses

Wednesday 21 January 2014, Grimond Room, Portcullis House

At 9.30am

• Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group
• Lois Race, Service Manager, Derbyshire County Council
• Dr Kayleigh Garthwaite, Durham University
• Fiona Weir, Chief Executive Officer, Gingerbread

At 10.30am

• Ben Robinson, Head of Policy, Community Links
• Steve Hughes, Head of Economic and Social Policy, Policy Exchange
• Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, and Helen Flanagan, Vice-President DWP, Public and Commercial Services Union
• Professor David Stuckler, University of Oxford

Purpose of the session

The session explores:

• The local authority perspective, including the potential impacts of sanctioning on local welfare assistance provision
• The potential health impacts of sanctioning, particularly in relation to ESA claimants
• The application of conditionality and sanctions to single parent claimants
• Jobcentre Plus (JCP) staff and managers’ attitudes and approaches to conditionality and sanctioning; the impact of JCP benefit off-flow targets and sanctioning rates
• The destinations of sanctioned claimants
• Possible reforms and alternatives to the current sanctioning system

Further information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees