Green Assembly Member Jenny Jones speaks out against the “appalling and inappropriate use of sanctions” as twice as many people are sanctioned than in the Mayor’s first year in office, an example of which last year the Mayor described as “shocking”.
“The Mayor must speak out on behalf of hundreds of constituents losing their benefits
every day for stupid, absurd reasons” says Jenny Jones.
New government figures compiled by Jenny Jones AM show that an average of 356 people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in London were sanctioned every day in the year to September 2013, twice as many as in the Mayor of London’s first year in office. In the past year:
· 361 lone parents lost their benefits for between 3 months and 3 years, the toughest level of sanction that can be applied
· 19,000 disabled jobseekers were sanctioned
· 47,000 young people aged 16-24 were sanctioned
Last year the Mayor described an example put to him by Jenny of a constituent losing their benefits due to a sanction as “shocking”. But he has co-funded his own workfare scheme that includes sanctions.
Jenny Jones said:
“The Government must stop this appalling and inappropriate use of sanctions that is causing hardship and poverty for so many Londoners. I’m worried about lone parents unable to feed their children without food banks, and vulnerable people getting into debt and misery because they have been pushed through the social security safety net.
“The Mayor must stop supporting their use in his own workfare scheme, and speak out on behalf of hundreds of constituents losing their benefits every day for stupid, absurd reasons.”