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Benefit sanctions have been reintroduced in England after being paused during the coronavirus lockdown.
Face-to-face Jobcentre appointments were suspended for three months in March in a bid to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
As part of the move, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) temporarily lifted “claimant conditionality” rules – which require those receiving benefits to meet obligations such as looking for jobs or face cuts to their entitlements.
This suspension came to an end in England yesterday. Jobcentres in Scotland and Wales remain closed.
Universal Credit guidance was changed today to remove the line: “You will not get a sanction if you cannot keep your claimant commitment because of coronavirus.”
Jonathan Reynolds, Labour’s welfare spokesperson, asked work and pensions secretary Thérèse Coffey on Monday to extend the suspension.
But Dr Coffey replied: “It is important that as the Jobcentres fully reopen this week we reinstate the need for a claimant commitment.”
More than 3.2 million people have claimed for Universal Credit since the coronavirus pandemic hit in mid-March.
A spokesperson for the DWP said: “We’ve been there for those who have lost jobs or have reduced hours in this pandemic, promptly processing new claims and getting money into the accounts of those in urgent need within days.
“Now our focus is rightly switching to getting Britain back into work. From July, people can make an appointment with their work coach if they can’t get the help they want online or over the phone, and work coaches will be calling all claimants to help them get ready for the world of work.”
The Universal Credit standard allowance was boosted by £20 a week in March, while the Local Housing Allowance was increased to cover the lowest 30th percentile of private rents in each area.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Mr Reynolds said it was “incomprehensible” that claimant conditionality was being reinstated, adding: “At a time when unemployment has risen sharply, vacancies have dropped, people are still shielding and the schools aren’t back, threatening to reduce people’s financial support is untenable.”
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