Social Security Benefits: Disqualification
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedures are in place to ensure that claimants are immediately informed of their right to challenge a sanction and seek accessible support.
Answered by Dame Diana Johnson
Claimants are clearly informed of their rights when a sanction decision is made. All sanction decision letters include details of what to do if a claimant disagrees with the decision, including how to seek a review and access support.
When a claimant is notified of a sanction they are also informed of their right to:
- ask for an explanation;
- ask for a mandatory reconsideration; and
- following a mandatory reconsideration, appeal to an independent tribunal.
If a claimant disagrees with a sanction decision, they can request a Mandatory Reconsideration for the decision to be reviewed, and if they remain dissatisfied, they can appeal to a tribunal.
These actions can be taken through a range of accessible channels to ensure claimants can seek support in a way that best meets their needs, including via their online Universal Credit journal, face-to-face in a Jobcentre, or through DWP telephone services.
This ensures claimants are promptly informed of their rights to challenge a sanction and are able to access appropriate support through multiple channels.
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