Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Central Freedom of Information Team
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
Our reference: VTR 4428
Date: 19 December 2016
Dear Mr Hillary,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received on 21 November
2016.
You asked:
“There have been a number of peer reviews into deaths for people on
benefit/subject to sanctions, etc.
Please state number of / percentages of the 49 or so revealed DWP peer
reviews that involved use of section 19 failure to attend / submit to
assessment / interview.”
DWP response:
We have assumed your reference to s.19 is to section 19 of the Jobseeker’s
Act 1995. Section 19 of the Act deals with instances where the claimant loses
employment through misconduct or voluntarily leaves employment without
good reason. It applies only to Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) claimants but not
to Employment Support and Allowance (ESA) claimants.
We cannot deal with your request without clarification of the information you
seek. To help us do so, we would like to know if we have assumed correctly
and you are referring to S19 of the Jobseeker’s Act.
Under section 16 of the Act we should assist you in helping you focus your
request. Please confirm:
you require information for the number of reviews that relate to failure
to attend or submit to an ESA work capability assessment; and
your request does not relate to JSA claimants.
We will consider afresh any revised request however we cannot guarantee
that any revised request will fall within the cost limit.
Please note that if we do not receive appropriate clarification within three
months from the date of this letter your request will be treated as closed.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact us quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely
DWP Operations Freedom of Information Team
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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team,
Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any review request should be submitted within two
months of the date of this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the
Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a
decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information
Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745