Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Deferred
Develop a new approach to benefit sanctions, incorporating trauma-informed decisions and updated research.
Recommendation
Sanctions risk undermining the work of Jobcentres and acting against the Government’s employment goals. DWP must develop a new approach to the use of sanctions. It should consider: • adopting a trauma-informed approach to sanctioning decisions; • issuing warnings rather than an immediate sanction; • having the option of non-financial sanctions, where appropriate, such as further mandatory appointments; • including greater assessment of someone’s circumstances and reasons for a breach prior to a sanctioning decision; • improving the communication of sanction decisions to people, and • providing an easier route for decisions to be challenged. In its response to this report, DWP should explain to the Committee what steps it will take to develop this approach. If DWP does not plan to change how it uses sanctions, then we recommend that, in its response, the Government sets out its evidence that the current approach to sanctions improves employment outcomes, including consideration of the possible “deterrent effect”. We also recommend that, in the context of its reforms, DWP undertakes and publishes new research to update its evidence base, which is based on data from 2019. This should include research into the consequences of sanctions on people’s health and wellbeing. (Recommendation, Paragraph 42) 53
Government Response Summary
The government's response detailed its plans for the new Jobs and Careers digital service, outlining its design and accessibility, but it did not address any of the specific recommendations or questions regarding a new approach to the use of sanctions.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Jobs and Careers digital service will deliver a modern, joined-up employment and careers service – digital where possible, human when needed – that helps people find better work, employers fill vacancies, and staff focus their time where it adds most value. The digital service is not a new website; it is a reconfigured service that works for everyone, not just benefit claimants, and uses data intelligently to join up government and personalise support. It will improve how the labour market functions locally and nationally and boost the productivity of Jobs and Careers Service staff and operations. The new service is being designed iteratively through test and learn, with input from jobseekers, employers, stakeholders and local and devolved governments. The detail of exactly what we will deliver and how it works will therefore change over time, as we learn what works to meet the government’s objectives of employment, earnings and engagement. DWP and the National Careers Service already offer online services, including Find a job, the National Careers Service website, Skills for Careers and JobHelp, but these are not as integrated as they need to be. Customers often struggle to join up different services and may miss opportunities as a result. Our new, joined up service will offer personalised recommendations, informed by much better use of local labour market data to help people find jobs, opportunities, skills training, careers advice and guidance that is right for them, and it will support a much wider range of employers to fill their vacancies and offer good work. New digital tools, including AI, are being developed to help users recognise their skills and potential, and to help people plan and take the actions that will best help them find work, get on in work, or change their career or retrain. The digital offer will work alongside the other aspects of our service: work coaches, careers advisers and third-party provision and in partnership with devolved governments in Scotland and Wales, where they have devolved responsibility for skills and careers. The service will be accessible – digital where possible, human where needed. We will ensure that people who need our services but cannot access them digitally have other channels available. Many people will continue to need other types of support, so the new digital service will work alongside Jobcentre work coaches, careers advisers, partners and 3rd party employment support, helping free up time so that they can focus help where it is needed most. The Jobs and Careers digital service will be separate from the Universal Credit system and that of other benefits. People will not need to claim benefit to use it, and those who do claim benefit will be able to continue to use it once they are in work. The service will help people looking to improve their skills, find a job or progress their career.