Stop cruel sanctions plea

Today (March 9), across the country, thousands of campaigners protested against the government’s inhuman benefits sanction regime, which can stop Jobseekers Allowance for up to three years for often trivial breaches of complex rules.

Demonstrations organised by Unite Community members were held in more than 70 UK towns and cities, as part of a national day of action.

A petition signed by over 211,000 people, calling for a review into the cruel and unnecessary sanctions policy, was also handed into the department of work pensions in London by anti-sanctions campaigner Gill Thompson.

Ms Thompson’s brother, David Clapson, died after being sanctioned in 2013 for missing a meeting at the Jobcentre – despite the fact he was actively looking for work and had been in full time employment for many years until he became a carer for his sick mother.

The diabetic army veteran died emaciated surrounded by his CVs. Mr Clapson’s electricity had been cut off, making his insulin unusable.

“I want to know how the department of work and pensions can justify welfare sanctions that are driving people to food banks and leading to starvation and death?

 

Starving

“David had his £71.70 weekly allowance stopped, meaning that he couldn’t afford food or electricity. He was penniless, starving and alone,” said Ms Thompson (pictured holding banner), who has been campaigning for an inquiry into her brother’s death.

“His electricity card was out of credit, meaning the fridge where he should have kept his diabetes insulin chilled, was not working. Three weeks after his benefits were stopped he died from diabetic ketoacidosis, caused by not taking his insulin.

“The DWP were aware of my brother’s diabetes and insulin dependency, and, if as they say, they followed procedures and no errors were made, then why did my brother die?”

The petition called on the prime minister David Cameron to implement a ‘broad and independent’ review of benefit sanctions as per the recommendations of the work and pensions select committee, who described the policy as “unfair and punitive.”

The government has been trying to downplay the impact of sanctions, claiming that only one in 20 jobseekers are penalised.

However recent research by the Guardian has shown that the figure is actually one in six, while the number of sanctions has more than doubled since the Tories took office in 2010.

A freedom of information request in February 2015 also revealed that the DWP was investigating the welfare payment decisions of 60 claimants shortly after their deaths – yet more than a year later and still nothing has been done to change the system.

“Half a million people have been sanctioned and had their financial support withdrawn in the last 12 months alone.

“Money can be cut for arriving late at the Jobcentre, missing an appointment to go to a funeral or even failing to apply for a job while waiting to start a new job,” explained head of Unite Community, Liane Groves.

“This harsh benefit sanctions regime treats claimants worse than criminals fined in courts, leaving people without money and unable to feed themselves and their family.

“It is a system out of control with decisions on guilt taken in secret and claimants not even allowed to be present to explain their case.”

Sanctions are just one aspect of a much larger attack on the country’s services and safety nets, commented Unite assistant general secretary, Steve Turner.

 

Sharp end

He said, “Sanctions are the sharp end of the destructive policy of shredding our social security system.

“As this government continues to implement severe cuts to our public services and benefits, with a determination to increase the numbers forced to work in precarious, insecure work, and standing back and allowing job losses to devastate local communities, then sanctions are a matter for us all.

“They are also beginning to roll out sanctions against very low paid workers. Any of us could be made unemployed and subjected to this cruel sanctions policy.”

Alongside MPs, churches, anti-poverty campaigners, other trade unions, and social policy experts, Unite is calling for the government to conduct an independent and comprehensive review into the impact of sanctions.

Pic by Mark Thomas