Benefit Penalties Fueling Youth Poverty

A Hull charity is warning that vulnerable young people in the city are being pushed further into poverty because benefits are being unfairly taken away.

The Warren Project say young jobseekers have had their benefits removed for weeks at a time simply because they were ill, attending a job interview or visiting someone in hospital.

The charity say it's forcing some youngsters into homelessness and is also affecting people's mental health.

20-year-old Craig Mcdade from west Hull had his benefits stopped for 4 months and says it had a big impact. He told Viking FM:

"I have been sanctioned and it put me on the streets for quite a long time. It's made a lot of things difficult for me and homelessness was one of the main things that caused me to have mental health problems.

"I have been sanctioned for visiting a friend in hospital and I've been sanctioned because one of the people failed to write down that I had attended my appointment. As a result, I lost a lot of money and I lost my home. It was homelessness that caused me to have serious mental health problems such as social anxiety. The fact that I always had to stress about money and when I didn't have money to pay a friend for letting me sofa surf, I would be kicked out and it resulted in me trusting very few people.

"I don't believe that anyone should be made homeless as a result of benefit sanctions. I don't believe that young people should be ridiculed for the fact that they are lazy and unmotivated, I am motivated and I do want a job."

JJ Tatten is from The Warren Project and says:

"Shocking data from the Warren Young People’s Project Counselling Service in Hull has revealed that unfair benefits sanctions are pushing penniless and vulnerable young people further into poverty resulting in increased homelessness, poorer mental health, food poverty, debt and desperation. Some young people have been sanctioned because they were: ill; visiting somebody in hospital; being at a funeral; being at an interview; and even for volunteering to help stage a music festival in Hull in a bid to learn new skills and enhance employability."

The Department for Work and Pensions say benefit sanctions are only used in a small minority of cases in which claimants fail to meet certain requirements.

A DWP spokesperson said:

“It's only fair that in return for receiving benefits we expect jobseekers to be available for - and looking for - work. Sanctions are used in a small minority of cases where they do not. Decisions aren't taken lightly and anyone who disagrees has the right to appeal. We also have a well-established system of hardship provision for vulnerable claimants."

Today, young people in Hull, who are hoping to take their campaign to Westminster, will meet local MP Karl Turner to discuss the issue further.