Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

(asked on 4th February 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Annex 5 of the Written evidence submitted by the Public and Commercial Services Union to the Work and Pensions Committee dated 29 January 2015, whether the target set out in the memorandum dated 1 July 2013 raising the adverse decision rate of 80 per cent in that Annex remains in place; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Esther McVey Portrait
Esther McVey
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This question was answered on 9th February 2015

There are no targets or benchmarks for the number of benefit sanctions applied by Decision Makers. The Department is careful to ensure quality and consistency of decision making throughout the sanctions process. The 80% adverse decision rate forms part of this quality assurance and was introduced to ensure that only appropriate referrals are made by Job Centre Plus advisers to Decision Makers. This measure is in place so that all evidence is considered first by an adviser before a doubt is referred to a decision maker.

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