Benefit Sanctions - What is the Impact?

The number of people nationally whose Job Seeker's Allowance and Employment Support Allowance has been sanctioned has increased by 24% in the last 12 months. 4,000 benefit claims were sanctioned in Coventry last year. When claimants are sanctioned their benefit may be stopped completely or reduced to a small amount.

Thousands of families in Coventry over the last year were left without any income after their benefits were sanctioned (stopped or reduced).

Advice Agencies in Coventry are coming accross cases of people being sanctioned for being five minutes late for an appointment or for putting the date they applied for a job in the wrong column of a form. Some people only find out they have been sanctioned when their benefit is stopped and do not know what they have been sanctioned for, or what they can do about it.

Does this sound familiar to you?

Are you a victim of a sanction or do you work with a client who has been sanctioned and want to know what you can do?

Please help us by completing our Sanction Survey.