Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Central Freedom of Information Team
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
Our reference: VTR 4428
Date: 10 January 2017
Dear Mr Hillary,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information clarified on request received on 21
November 2016 and clarified on 19 December 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.”
Clarification:
The full text I wrote is quite clear and I find rewording of it unhelpful /
pointless.
In regards what I mean by s19 fta/submit I mean JSA, DLA / PIP, and ESA.
IF s19 fta rules do not apply to some of the benefits you will no doubt state
this in your reply.
If the figures related to deaths and peer review exclude consideration of dla /
pip please advise of this. It would not surprise me.
As a final comment let me add as an employer it is time the government
stopped the use of worthless creatively lawyered inaccurate occupational
health reports. Bad enough claimants experience this without using such
misrepresentation/connivance to make employees claimants rather than
enforce equality.
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.
Our records show that none of the 49 peer review cases contain information
which reveals sanctions were applied at some point of the individual’s claim,
under section 19 of the Jobseeker’s Act. Section 19 does not apply to the
other benefits so we cannot supply a response in relation to those benefits.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Central FoI Team
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