Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Deferred
Current application of benefit sanctions is ineffective and damages trust in Jobcentres.
Conclusion
Sanctions are the sharp end of benefit conditionality. DWP’s own evidence shows that sanctions don’t work, causing people to move more slowly into work and to earn less. While sanctions have a place in the benefits system, there is clear evidence that their current application is not working. A more limited and sensible use of sanctions would go a long way to rebuilding trust in Jobcentres, removing the current stigma attached to them and enabling them to provide genuine employment support. (Conclusion, Paragraph 41)
Government Response Summary
The government outlined initiatives for more personalised employment support through the new Jobs and Careers Service and Coaching Academy, and committed to publishing a review of employment support evidence by the end of 2026, but it did not directly address the committee's conclusion regarding the ineffectiveness or use of sanctions.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The department recognises the importance of tailoring employment support to the needs of different groups. To date, we have developed patterns of support which target certain groups with specific needs, such as customers with health conditions, and young people. The new Jobs and Careers Service will offer more personalised support to our customers and upskill our work coaches in line with this vision through the new Coaching Academy. Our recently published Evidence and Evaluation Strategy 2025 already sets out how research and evaluation will inform our Jobcentre reforms. This includes the impacts of work coach support for a range of customer groups. We recognise that work coaches are part of the wider eco-system of employment support, and our strategy also includes evaluation of both national contracted provision and locally designed and delivered employment support. We continue to draw from robust existing evidence such as What makes work search reviews effective: a synthesis report - GOV. UK (2025) and Universal Credit: in-work progression randomised control trial - GOV.UK(2015–2018) – these help us understand how to have quality conversations with our customers and how best to support those already in work. We will be working closely with the National Careers Service, and local and national partners, to develop and deliver the new service. This will include drawing on existing best practice. During the next year, we will publish process and impact assessment evaluations of our current Universal Credit Conditionality Evidence (UCCE) trials which will help us to consider how we tailor channel and frequency of appointments with work coaches to meet our customer needs. We are also exploring how we can focus work coach conversations on more personalised and tailored employment support. A review, bringing together all the available evidence for both work coach support and 3rd party employment support, will be published by the end of 2026. In addition, as set out in the evaluation strategy, more work will follow, including evaluation of the locally designed Get Britain Working Trailblazers and Connect to Work. These provide targeted support initiatives for key customer groups – young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), or at risk of becoming NEET, and economically inactive people or those at risk of becoming economically inactive, and disabled people, people with health conditions and those with complex barriers to employment. This evidence, from Inactivity and Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, and Connect to Work, will take longer, due to the time needed to deliver the support and measure outcomes of sustained employment.