Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many disabled benefits claimants were sanctioned in (1) 2019, and (2) 2020; how those figure compare to the number of non-disabled such claimants who were sanctioned; how many of those sanctions were appealed and upheld; and what steps they have taken to ensure that disabled people claiming benefits are not discriminated against.

The information requested for Universal Credit is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Statistics are available on the number of self-identified disabled people who have received an adverse sanction decision whilst in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance and these are published by decision type online.

To ensure our approach to sanctions is fair those who are not expected to look for work, those with severe health conditions are not in scope of sanctions. For those who we do expect to look for work, conditionality requirements are tailored to the claimant’s circumstances so they are reasonable, achievable and are agreed between the claimant and their Work Coach. Should there be a doubt, the Decision Maker will take into account all the claimant’s individual circumstances, such as health conditions, and any evidence of good reason they have provided, before deciding whether a sanction is warranted. Claimants have the right to a Mandatory Reconsideration and appeal should they wish to dispute the decision.