Petition · past parliament · Department for Work and Pensions
Suspend sanctions on benefit claimants during COVID crisis
Closed
202 signatures
What the petition asks
The government has reintroduced sanctions on benefit claimants during COVID-19, meaning they can face fines for not attending job appointments (even if shielding or unwell) or not spending enough time job hunting. Jobs are at a premium due to the crisis and people could be forced into poverty.
The government had suspended benefit sanctions during the crisis however have now reintroduced them. These sanctions penalise those who are worst off, during financial circumstances that are out of their hands, and will create more poverty. Disability campaigners have called this ‘life threatening’ and ‘barbaric’ - it must be stopped.
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/coronavirus-return-of-benefit-sanctions-in-middle-of-pandemic-is-barbaric/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53223474
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/coronavirus-return-of-benefit-sanctions-in-middle-of-pandemic-is-barbaric/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53223474
Timeline
| 17 Aug 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 17 Feb 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
202
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Work and Pensions
Opened
17 Aug 2020
Closed
17 Feb 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.