Claimants To Get 'Yellow Card' Before Their Benefits Are Cut, Under Government Proposal

Benefit sanctions are to be made less aggressive, with a ‘yellow card’ warning system being introduced for claimants.

Current rules state that anyone receiving a cut to their benefits would see it triggered immediately, but now they will be given 14 days to provide evidence of why they should not be punished before any sanction is imposed.

The shift in policy is a result of criticism of the existing ruled from a parliamentary committee.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the policy would be introduced on a trial basis, according to The Independent.

Mr Smith outlined the changes to the Work and Pension Select Committee in a letter.

He wrote: “During this time, claimants will have another opportunity to provide further evidence to explain their non-compliance.

“We will then review this information before deciding whether a sanction remains appropriate.

“We expect that this will strike the right balance between enforcing the claimant commitment and fairness.”

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) last year revealed that nearly 60% of people successfully overturned sanctions - up from 20% before the Conservatives took office.

Reasons for imposing the sanctions include missing job centre appointments and failing to look for work.

However, they have often been deemed unfair because some people missed appointments to attend job interviews.

An MPs report this year declared the current policy to be “purely punitive”.

Frank Field, the chairman of the Work and Pensions committee said of the changes: “We are pleased that the Government has accepted many of the Committee’s criticisms of its approach and, more importantly, the recommendations for change.

“In particular, we welcome the trial of the “yellow card” warning system and the reassessment of what constitutes hardship.”

Pics: Rex