---

Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have, as a result of breaching a community order, been deprived of any benefit to which they are entitled, or had the amount of such benefit reduced, pursuant to sections 62 to 66 of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000; and when the sections will come into force in relation to all courts in England and Wales. [91013] Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply. The community sentence and benefits measures aim to encourage greater compliance with community orders. Therefore sanctions only apply when people receiving the relevant benefit do not comply with their orders. The provisions were introduced in four pilot areas from 15 October 2001. A full and independent evaluation is being conducted which will inform any decision on future national implementation. As at 15 January 2003, the cost to the Department of administering the Community Sentences and Benefits pilots running in four Probation Service areas was £403,736, of which approximately £262,000 relates to one-off start-up costs, including changes to the national computer systems. Information on the total money withheld as a result of benefit sanctions following a breach of community order is not available. Information of the number of people who have lost benefit as a result of breaching their community orders, and the average weekly loss of benefit, is in the table. The figures for the average loss of weekly benefit should be used only as a guide to loss of benefit for individual offenders. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Benefit Number of individuals Average weekly loss of benefit (£) Income Support 230 15.28 Jobseeker's Allowance 320 148.29 Total 550 -- _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 After having a sanction imposed, 90 people have made successful hardship claims. This reduces the amount of benefit they have lost If these hardship claims are taken into account the average overall reduction in benefit is £33.19 per person per week. Notes: 1. Data are based on clerical returns received at the DWP Information Centre by 13 January 2003, and relate to the period from 15 October 2001 to 6 December 2002. 2. Average weekly loss of benefit has been calculated on an individual recipient basis using the Jobseeker's Allowance payment system (JSAPS) and the income support computer system (ISCS). 3. There are four probation service pilot areas, Derbyshire, Hertfordshire, Teesside and West Midlands. Source: DWP Information Centre: CS Stats forms 1 and 2 (Withdrawal of Benefits Pilot).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

91013; 399 c912-3W;399 c908-9W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Benefits rules Deductions Community service orders Eligibility Disqualification Offenders Social security benefits

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk