UNION members have protested outside job centres calling for an urgent end to the Government’s benefits sanctions regime.

An estimated 29,000 benefits claimants were subject to sanctions in the North-East last year meaning they had their welfare payments cut or stopped.

Protests took place as part of a national day of action in a number of locations including York, Durham, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland.

In Middlesbrough outside the town’s JobCentre Plus protestors waved placards and handed out leaflets to passers by.

John Coan, a regional co-ordinator with Unite, said: “There has been a good turnout across the region and we have engaged with hundreds of people.

“We hope that somebody is listening to us.”

Mr Coan said that the while the level of benefits sanctions had dropped, it was still more of a problem in the North-East than anywhere else.

He added: “Rather than punishing the unemployed for not having a job the Government should be helping people get jobs. People need a hand up – not a slap down.”

A Department of Work Pensions spokeswoman said: “Sanctions are an important part of our benefits system and are only used in a very small percentage of cases as a last resort when people don’t fulfil their commitments to find work.

“We have made improvements to the sanctions system, particularly to help those who are vulnerable or have a mental health condition.

“The fact is the number of sanctions has more than halved in recent years.”