Jobseeker's Allowance and Sanctions

Sanctions stop your benefit. Your benefit can be stopped for up to 26 weeks. There are fixed period sanctions and sanctions of discretionary length. Fixed period sanctions can be for two, four or twenty six weeks. Discretionary length sanctions can be for anything between one and twenty six weeks. The type of sanction that is imposed depends on the reason for your sanction.

Fixed period sanctions.

You will be given a fixed period sanction if you:

• refuse or fail to carry out any reasonable jobseeker's direction; or
• lose a place on a training scheme or employment programme through misconduct; or
• give up a place on a training scheme or employment programme without good cause; or
• fail to attend a training scheme or employment programme without good cause; or
• refuse or fail to apply for or accept a place on a training scheme or employment programme without good cause; or
• neglect a reasonable opportunity of a place on a training scheme or employment programme without good cause.

You will lose two weeks' benefit for a first "offence". If you offend again within twelve months of the first offence then you will lose four weeks benefit. This does not apply to the Gateway to Work scheme where sanctions are always for two weeks.

You will lose twenty six weeks' benefit if you commit a third "offence" provided that this occurs within twelve months of your second sanction.

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Sanctions of discretionary length

You will be given a discretionary length sanction if you:

• lose employment through misconduct; or
• leave employment voluntarily without just cause; or
• refuse or fail to apply for or accept employment without good cause; or
• neglect a reasonable opportunity of employment without good cause.

The standard sanction for the above is twenty six weeks' loss of benefit. However entitlement to contribution-based JSA only lasts for a maximum of twenty six weeks- decision makers are therefore given discretion in deciding the length of the sanction.

Decision makers should take the following factors into account when setting the length of the sanction:

• if you have left a job voluntarily and the hours were less than 16 per week, the rates of pay and the hours of work;
• if you have left a job voluntarily or have not taken up an offer of employment, any mitigating circumstance with regard to physical or mental stress connected to the work;
• where your job would have lasted for less than twenty six weeks, the length of time which it was likely to have lasted.

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