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Iain Duncan Smith is 'pretending that sanctions are working' with fake quotes, Labour says Iain Duncan Smith is 'pretending that sanctions are working' with fake quotes, Labour says
(about 1 hour later)
Labour has accused the Department for Work and Pensions of “pretending the [benefit sanctions] system is working” after it emerged that the Department had fabricated supportive quotes about it.Labour has accused the Department for Work and Pensions of “pretending the [benefit sanctions] system is working” after it emerged that the Department had fabricated supportive quotes about it.
Iain Duncan Smith’s department was roundly criticised for using invented quotes from supposed benefit claimants apparently pleased about their experience with the sanctions regime.Iain Duncan Smith’s department was roundly criticised for using invented quotes from supposed benefit claimants apparently pleased about their experience with the sanctions regime.
The revelation is controversial because the sanctions system has been criticised for causing extreme hardship and being operated in an unfair and arbitrary way.The revelation is controversial because the sanctions system has been criticised for causing extreme hardship and being operated in an unfair and arbitrary way.
In one example, titled "Sarah's story", a jobseeker is quoted as being "really pleased" after a cut to her benefits supposedly encouraged her to re-draft her CV.In one example, titled "Sarah's story", a jobseeker is quoted as being "really pleased" after a cut to her benefits supposedly encouraged her to re-draft her CV.
"It's going to help me when I'm ready to go back to work," the fabricated quote reads."It's going to help me when I'm ready to go back to work," the fabricated quote reads.
Stephen Timms, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said sanctions targets for people who work at jobcentres should be scrapped.Stephen Timms, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said sanctions targets for people who work at jobcentres should be scrapped.
The leaflet shows a claimant pleased with the outcome of their sanction “You couldn’t make it up – but it seems Iain Duncan Smith can,” Mr Timms quipped. “The only way he can find backers for his sanctions regime is by inventing them.The leaflet shows a claimant pleased with the outcome of their sanction “You couldn’t make it up – but it seems Iain Duncan Smith can,” Mr Timms quipped. “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.”“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.”
The quotes were revealed to have been fabricated after a freedom of information request by the Welfare Weekly website.The quotes were revealed to have been fabricated after a freedom of information request by the Welfare Weekly website.
In March this year Parliament's Work and Pensions Select Committee said there was evidence that sanctions were geared towards punishing people for being unemployed and might not actually help them find work.In March this year Parliament's Work and Pensions Select Committee said there was evidence that sanctions were geared towards punishing people for being unemployed and might not actually help them find work.
The MPs said there was evidence that the benefit cuts for unemployed people caused more problems than they solved and might be "purely punitive".The MPs said there was evidence that the benefit cuts for unemployed people caused more problems than they solved and might be "purely punitive".
The shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Stephen Timms Previous widely-criticised decisions include people being sanctioned for missing jobcentre appointments because they had to attend a job interview, or people sanctioned for not looking for work because they had already secured a job due to start in a week’s time.The shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Stephen Timms Previous widely-criticised decisions include people being sanctioned for missing jobcentre appointments because they had to attend a job interview, or people sanctioned for not looking for work because they had already secured a job due to start in a week’s time.
In one case a man with heart problems was sanctioned because he had a heart attack during a disability benefits assessment and thus failed to complete the assessment.In one case a man with heart problems was sanctioned because he had a heart attack during a disability benefits assessment and thus failed to complete the assessment.
 
Charities including Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation say the sanctions are responsible for a significant increase in homelessness and rough sleeping in Britain under David Cameron's government.Charities including Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation say the sanctions are responsible for a significant increase in homelessness and rough sleeping in Britain under David Cameron's government.
In 2014 more than 100,000 children were also estimated to have gone hungry because of sanctions applied to their parents, according to a report by Church Action on Poverty, a charity that works in partnership with churches.In 2014 more than 100,000 children were also estimated to have gone hungry because of sanctions applied to their parents, according to a report by Church Action on Poverty, a charity that works in partnership with churches.
The DWP added in the FOI response to the website: “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.The DWP added in the FOI response to the website: “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.
“We have temporarily changed the pictures to silhouettes and added a note to make it more clear that these are illustrative examples only.“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 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.”
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman told the Independent: “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 Department for Work and Pensions spokesman told the Independent: “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”.