Unions have criticised plans by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to tighten Universal Credit sanctions and force Jobcentre staff to be trained to apply the sanctions effectively. A report in The Independent says the requirement for benefits claimants who are lead carers of children to search for work are to be strengthened as part of a raft of measures that Mr Hunt will announce this week in what he is branding as a “back-to-work Budget”.
The sanctions scheme is aimed at getting hundreds of thousands of people into work but it has prompted concern among campaigners. In an overhaul that the Government claims is “the biggest reform to the welfare system in a decade”, the Work Capability Assessment – described as flawed by campaigners – is also to be axed.
The Government will also start paying childcare costs on Universal Credit up front, rather than in arrears, while the maximum amount people in receipt of benefits can claim for childcare will be increased by several hundred pounds.
Trades Union Congress general secretary Paul Novak branded the proposals to ramp up the use of sanctions as “worrying”, although he hailed the greater childcare support as “long overdue”.
“Scrapping the work capability assessment will be welcome if it means an end to assessments that cause anxiety instead of helping people achieve their aspirations,” he said, while urging greater investment in public services to get people off NHS waiting lists and reduce barriers to training.
The Independent said that under Mr Hunt's plans, Jobcentre staff would be given additional training “to ensure they are applying sanctions effectively”, while administrative elements of the sanctions process would be automated, including messages to claimants who miss meetings.
Hundreds of thousands of claimants will be told to attend more regular meetings with work coaches, with “skills bootcamps” to be expanded by 8,000 places per year by 2025, up from 56,000, the government said.
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The minimum amount a person can earn without being required to attend regular Jobcentre meetings will be raised from the equivalent of 15 to 18 hours of earnings on the national living wage, while rules enabling those whose partner is in work not to attend meetings will be scrapped, according to The Independent.
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