WORK PROGRAMME

Jobseekers Allowance Benefit Sanction ---- Advice on how to deal with them ----

CORRECT PROCEDURE The provider should inform you by letter of a possible Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) benefit sanction, known as raising a doubt. If you have not received this letter, and the first you are aware of a sanction is a letter from the DWP - the provider has failed to follow the correct procedure. Q: Why would the provider fail to inform you? A: The provider has a) genuinely forgot or b) they have given the DWP a completely different version of events surrounding your appointment - thus they do not want you to know they have lied. TIP: Always write down/record your appointment from the moment you enter the providers office until you leave. If writing down the events after the appointment - do this ASAP - while they are still fresh in you mind!

DWP SANCTION LETTER This letter, as well as confirming the suspension, gives you the option to both request an explanation of the sanction, and appeal it. Always request an explanation first, this will tell you exactly what the provider said about your appointment. Without the explanation, you only have the vague statement about failed to comply/participate contained in the letter. And this could mean anything, so always find out exactly what you have been accused of. You will now be in a much better position to write an appeal letter, especially if the provider failed to follow the correct procedure by failing to first notify you by letter of a possible benefit sanction, and/or they have lied about the events surrounding your appointment. Reasons For Appeal 1: Provider has failed to follow the correct procedure as detailed in their Work Programme booklet - page X (A4e: see page 11). 2: Providers version of events surrounding the appointment are untrue. Give your version. You now see the importance of recording the appointment, especially as the DWP are inclined to believe the providers version!

HOUSING BENEFIT AND COUNCIL TAX REBATE When you receive the DWP sanction letter, contact you council immediately if you are currently getting housing benefit and/or council tax rebate. Inform them of the sanction, and say you have nil income and remain registered unemployed and continue to signon. Your housing benefit will not be affected. NB: Your council will have already been informed of the sanction before you get the DWP letter confirming it. So failing to notify them will almost certainly result in your housing benefit and/or council tax rebate also being suspended.

The above advice is based on my own experience of being subject to a two week JSA benefit sanction in June 2011.