The UK Government's use of sanctions to penalise hundreds of jobseekers a day is unethical, according to Scotland's minister for youth unemployment.
After the Herald highlighted a huge rise in the numbers having their benefits stopped for alleged breaches of job-seeking contracts, Angela Constance wrote yesterday to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) condemning the policy.
The DWP is awaiting the results of an independent review of the sanctions but Scottish charities warned that while those claiming unemployment benefits should have to prove they are genuinely seeking work, there was evidence that the policies were poorly communicated, the fairness of many sanctions was unclear and families and individuals were being left in desperate circumstances as a result.
The Scottish Government has not formally responded to the review - being carried out by Matthew Oakley, of the Social Security Advisory Committee - however Ms Constance said she had written to the DWP to express its concerns. She said the review stopped well short of what was needed to address problems with the system:
"It is important that individuals clearly understand what is required of them as a condition of receiving benefit and take whatever steps they can to get into work.
"The current review seeks only to identify how the scheme is operating, not whether the scheme itself needs changed."
The Scottish Government last month published analysis claiming 35,000 Scots had had their benefits stopped over an eight-month period. It said claimants were often unable rather than unwilling to comply with the conditions placed upon them.
Ms Constance said: "Hammering people in the pockets, rather than addressing the circumstances that can stop them from complying, does little to support their long term prospects."
A DWP spokesman said: "We make it clear to people what the rules are and that they risk losing benefits if they don't play by them."
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