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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/aug/18/dwp-admits-making-up-positive-quotes-from-benefits-claimants-for-leaflet
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| DWP admits inventing quotes from fake 'benefits claimants' for leaflet | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government has admitted that it made up quotes from supposed benefit claimants expressing views about their positive experiences of the welfare system for a leaflet. | The government has admitted that it made up quotes from supposed benefit claimants expressing views about their positive experiences of the welfare system for a leaflet. |
| A Department for Work and Pensions leaflet included pictures of “Sarah” and “Zac”, who were presented as sickness benefits claimants. Zac said he had managed to change an appointment without being sanctioned for missing it, while Sarah was pleased that she had been encouraged to complete a CV. | A Department for Work and Pensions leaflet included pictures of “Sarah” and “Zac”, who were presented as sickness benefits claimants. Zac said he had managed to change an appointment without being sanctioned for missing it, while Sarah was pleased that she had been encouraged to complete a CV. |
| “I’m really pleased with how my CV looks. It’s going to help me when I’m ready to go back to work,” she was quoted as saying. | “I’m really pleased with how my CV looks. It’s going to help me when I’m ready to go back to work,” she was quoted as saying. |
| According to the leaflet, which was produced last month, Zac said: “I let my work coach know in advance that I couldn’t go to our meeting because I had a hospital appointment. I had a good reason for not going to the meeting and proof of the appointment. My benefit payment hasn’t changed and we booked another meeting I could get to.” | |
| Except that neither Sarah nor Zac existed. | |
| You may have seen the case study story trending here on Twitter. To let you all know we've removed them now - they were illustrative only | You may have seen the case study story trending here on Twitter. To let you all know we've removed them now - they were illustrative only |
| The DWP made the admission in response to a freedom of information request from the news website Welfare Weekly. The leaflet was taken down from the DWP’s site and replaced with one that illustrated Zac and Sarah only in silhouette, along with a note clarifying: “The people in this factsheet aren’t real. We’ve used these stories to show how sanctions can work in practice.” | |
| In its response to the FoI request, the DWP said: “The photos used are stock photos and along with the names do not belong to real claimants. The stories are for illustrative purposes only. | |
| “We want to help people understand when sanctions can be applied and how they can avoid them by taking certain actions. Using practical examples can help us achieve this. | |
| Related: Sanctions: staff pressured to penalise benefit claimants, says union | |
| “We have temporarily changed the pictures to silhouettes and added a note to make it more clear that these are illustrative examples only. We will test both versions of the factsheet with claimants and external stakeholders to further improve it in the future. This will include working with external organisations.” | “We have temporarily changed the pictures to silhouettes and added a note to make it more clear that these are illustrative examples only. We will test both versions of the factsheet with claimants and external stakeholders to further improve it in the future. This will include working with external organisations.” |
| Labour’s work and pensions spokesman, Stephen Timms, said: “You couldn’t make it up – but it seems Iain Duncan Smith can. The only way he can find backers for his sanctions regime is by inventing them. | |
| “Instead of fabricating quotes pretending the system is working, he should scrap unfair sanctions targets for jobcentre staff and do more to protect vulnerable people from facing benefit sanctions.” | |
| Advertising Standards Authority rules state that “marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so”. | Advertising Standards Authority rules state that “marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so”. |
| The rules also say that marketers “must hold documentary evidence that a testimonial or endorsement used in a marketing communication is genuine, unless it is obviously fictitious, and hold contact details for the person who, or organisation that, gives it”. | The rules also say that marketers “must hold documentary evidence that a testimonial or endorsement used in a marketing communication is genuine, unless it is obviously fictitious, and hold contact details for the person who, or organisation that, gives it”. |
| The Public Commercial Services Union said that it planned to write to the DWP to complain that it was “irresponsible” of the government to invent the stories to “illustrate the contentious belief that sanctions are welcomed by claimants”. | |
| The union’s general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said: “It is disgraceful and sinister that the DWP has been trying to trick people into believing claimants are happy to have their benefits stopped or threatened. Sanctions are unnecessarily punitive and counterproductive, and should be scrapped.” | |
| The charity Mencap also criticised the government, saying that the “DWP’s made-up case studies present an unrepresentative view of the sanctions regime and its impact on disabled people”. | |
| A spokesman said: “Benefits are a lifeline to many people with a learning disability who rely on them to make ends meet. We know many people have been sanctioned because jobcentre staff don’t understand their needs and place unrealistic demands on them while not providing support they need. To mislead the public on the effects of benefit sanctions in this way is unacceptable.” | |
| The DWP said that the document was produced in house by its communications team and that it was not signed off by the work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith. The picture of “Sarah” also appeared on a DWP blog in a post detailing advice on how to write a good CV, which was written in January. | |
| The post on the Daily Jobseeker Tumblr has been taken down, with online archives showing that it was live as late as Friday 14 August. | The post on the Daily Jobseeker Tumblr has been taken down, with online archives showing that it was live as late as Friday 14 August. |
| A DWP spokesman said: “The case studies were used for illustrative purposes to help people understand how the benefit system works. They’re based on conversations our staff have had with claimants. They have now been removed to avoid confusion.” | A DWP spokesman said: “The case studies were used for illustrative purposes to help people understand how the benefit system works. They’re based on conversations our staff have had with claimants. They have now been removed to avoid confusion.” |