Benefits slashed for hundreds of Islanders

More than 1,500 sanctions were applied to jobseekers who missed interviews, failed to attend training or had given up their job without a sufficient reason.

  • First quarter – 463
  • Second quarter – 404
  • Third quarter – 373
  • Fourth quarter – 299[/breakout]

And among them were more than 100 people who had their benefits taken away altogether, including the part that pays their rent, for six weeks.

However the number of sanctions being issued dropped as the year progressed – a trend Social Security Minister Susie Pinel welcomed.

The minister told the House that during 2014 her department had taken action in a number of cases and that most of those who had been affected affected were ‘young, single people with no family responsibilities’.

By the end of the year there were around 1,400 people registered as actively seeking work.

Deputy Pinel was answering a question from Deputy Geoff Southern who was concerned about the number of Islanders who had been punished in this way since regulations introduced in October 2013 gave the department the power to issue such sanctions.

Social Security Minister Susie Pinel

Some jobseekers may have been sanctioned just once, whereas others had their benefits reduced on a number of occasions.

Deputy Pinel said that by imposing the sanctions her department was not ‘neglecting its duty’ because jobseekers had ‘put themselves in that position’ against the advice given by mentors.

During the first quarter of 2014 463 sanctions were applied. That dropped to 404 in the second quarter of the year, 373 in the third quarter and 299 in the final three months of the year.

Weekly rates of Income Support (from 7 April 2014)

  • £92.12 – Adult
  • £132.51 – Single parent
  • £63.98 – Child
  • £51.31 – Household (if you rent or own your home)

If you have savings above these levels, you’ll receive less benefit.

  • £13,706 – Single adult with personal care element
  • £9,137 – Other single adult under pensionable age
  • £22,718 – Couple (at least one with personal care element)
  • £15,145 – Other couple under pensionable age
  • £13,706 – Single adult over pensionable age
  • £22,7180 – Couple over pensionable age

The minister said: ‘It is not right that people choose not to seek work and the figures show that the number of sanctions has fallen over the year and I am very pleased to report that.’

However, concerns were raised by Deputy Judy Martin about the number of Islanders who had young families that were left for six weeks without benefits.

She asked the Social Security Minister to reveal those figures at a later date.

Deputy Pinel said: ‘A jobseeker is constantly advised, helped, encouraged and motivated to look for work.

‘It is quite clear from all evidence that everybody is happier when in work.

‘If a job seeker consistently refuses to comply with terms that have been made very clear to them, is it right that the taxpayer should subsidise these people who are not complying with quite minor requirements to be jobseekers?’

The sanctions do not apply to those who cannot look for work, including those who are sick, vulnerable or have disabilities.

The regulations for sanctions came into affect in October 2013, meaning that Islanders who do not look for work, fail to attend training programmes, work experience, job interviews or give up their job without good reason could have their benefits reduced or cut altogether.

An appeals process is available for anyone whose benefits have been cut and since the regulations were put in place but there have been seven appeals, all of which were made by two people.

Click here to view the latest jobs on our website.

Actively Seeking Work

The Social Security Department compiles and administers data on people registered as Actively Seeking Work in Jersey. The States of Jersey Statistics Unit independently analyses this anonymised data and publishes monthly reports of the figures.

On 31 December 2014:

  • on a seasonally adjusted basis, the total number of people registered as actively seeking work (ASW) in Jersey was at the same level as the previous month (November 2014) and 30 lower than the average (mean) for the preceding three months
  • the seasonally adjusted ASW total remained at the lowest level for more than three years, since September 2011
  • the non-seasonally adjusted ASW total was 1,440; this total is 10 lower than the previous month (November 2014)
  • long-term ASW (registered for more than twelve months) accounted for around one in seven (15%) of total ASW and was the lowest number recorded for more than three and a half years
  • 200 teenagers (aged 16 to 19 years) were registered as ASW, 20 fewer than the previous month (November 2014) and 70 fewer than twelve months earlier (December 2013)[/breakout]

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Social Security advises: If the Income Support rules expect you to look for work, you must do so. This includes participating in training or work experience that has been arranged for you, attending interviews and taking up any suitable work that is offered to you.

If you don’t, Social Security officers have the power to:

• reduce or stop your Income Support payments

• reduce or stop Income Support payments to your entire household, including payments for rent and special payments

• prevent people who leave work without a good reason from claiming the adult component of Income Support

SOCIAL Security Minister Susie Pinel has had to walk an extremely difficult tightrope since her election in the autumn.

Her policies must balance helping a bruised economy grow with the ever-increasing needs of Islanders struggling to make ends meet.

The early signs, which have included more protection for employers from employees claiming unfair dismissal to a better deal for new mothers in Jersey through maternity benefits, are examples of how she is managing this delicate balancing act.

And, other than those individuals who have had their benefits removed, Islanders will no doubt welcome the news today that more than 1,500 people have had their benefits either cut or stopped following a long-promised crackdown on abusers of the system.

Cutting benefits is an unpleasant but necessary step to ensure that during these tough times, the system is fair to all – those at the receiving end and taxpayers at the giving end.

The Deputy and her team at Social Security should be praised for steering this latest drive for efficiency, fairness and common sense.

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