Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what safeguards are in place to ensure that a person who loses their employment and support allowance as a result of a sanction will not also lose their housing benefit because of a misunderstanding by the local authority.

Following Matthew Oakley’s report we have implemented a number of improvements to communications to ensure that claimants understand the sanctions process and can take the necessary action.

An investigation of housing benefit with local authorities showed that the IT solution is working to specification and correct notifications are being sent. As a safeguard we have also improved guidance to ensure that staff advise all claimants, when sanctioned, to inform their local authority so that their housing benefit is not inadvertently stopped.

We will continue to monitor the position in cooperation with local authorities.