UNIVERSAL Credit director general Neil Couling has been criticised for failing to know exactly how many claimants nationwide have been hit with benefit sanctions.
Mr Couling managed to throw a figure in the air in the hope it would catch on. It didn’t.
He says about 24,000 Universal Credit sanctions have been implemented in the UK thus far.
But this figure is surely far too low as here on Teesside a massive 3,000 jobseekers have already been bashed with the Tory sanction stick.
Three thousand Universal Credit sanctions on Teesside in just one year is a disgrace. And do remember all sanctioned claimants are removed from the employment figures. No wonder unemployment is falling. Teesside job centres even have the nerve to say sanctions are only used as a last resort and are very rare.
Dear job centre, please enlighten us with your definition of rare because the English dictionary says if an event is rare, it doesn’t happen very often.
Stephen Dixon, Redcar
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here