UK Government Announces Tougher Sanctions for Unemployed Benefit Claimants

Claimants who refuse work or fail to find employment for more than 18 months will face mandatory work placements and potential loss of benefits.

Under new rules planned for late next year, benefit claimants who fail to find work for more than 18 months will have to undertake work experience placements or lose access to their benefits.
An extra £2.5bn will be spent on career support as part of new plans to get people back to work.
Under a plan that would need parliamentary approval, those solely eligible for the standard Universal Credit allowance who refuse to engage with job centre staff or accept work offered to them after six months will have their claims closed.
From late 2024 mandatory work placement trials will also be rolled out for people unemployed longer than 18 months, and benefits will be removed from those who refuse to take part.
Digital tools will be used to track attendance at job fairs and interviews under the tougher sanctions regime.