Petition · past parliament
End Benefit Sanctions and the Work Capability Assessment.
Closed
3,254 signatures
What the petition asks
Sanctions and Work Capability Assessments are unfair, disproportionate and cruel. They are leading to the deaths of our citizens, causing suicides, mental health issues and increasing the involvement of the police, hospitals and social services. WCAs regularly overrule medical professionals advice.
The PCS union have presented evidence to MPs that show that sanction rates are monitored at the level of the adviser, the team, the office and the district, and that some individual managers take action with their staff if sanction rates are “too low”.
The sanctions regime now also affects an increasing number of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants – who are too ill or disabled to work currently, but whom the DWP consider will be capable of work at some time in the future.
The sanctions regime now also affects an increasing number of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants – who are too ill or disabled to work currently, but whom the DWP consider will be capable of work at some time in the future.
Timeline
| 7 Mar 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 2 May 2017 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
3,254
Status
Closed
Opened
7 Mar 2017
Closed
2 May 2017
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.