Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether jobcentre staff are required to undertake a safeguarding visit before imposing a sanction on a vulnerable customer.

Jobcentre work coaches are required to set reasonable requirements of customers, review compliance, identify cases of non-compliance and make referrals to a Decision Maker for consideration of if a sanction is appropriate in particular circumstances. Throughout this process, work coaches and decision makers take into account individual customer circumstances, including any vulnerability, complex need or health issue.

Guidance for Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support and Universal Credit cases, covers the requirement for a home visit to be undertaken before making a referral to a Decision Maker for whether or not to consider a sanction, where someone has a condition that could affect their ability to understand and comply with a specific requirement.