Employment minister questioned before the Commons committee equates getting a sanction is like getting lines at school.
Esther McVey says benefit sanctions 'teach' job seekers to take hunt for work seriously
Wirral West MP Esther McVey has said it is right for job centres to take benefits away from out of work people they think aren't doing enough to find work as they "have their best interests at heart".
The new Employment minister was grilled by the Work & Pensions committee on the sanctions system under which which people who fail to attend a meeting with an adviser can lose their Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) for a month, and repeat offenders risk losing benefits for up to three years.
Ms McVey said: “What does a teacher do in a school? A teacher would tell you off or give you lines or whatever it is, detentions, but at the same times they are wanting your best interests at heart.
"They are teaching you, they are educating you but at the same time they will also have the ability to sanction you.”
Figures published earlier this month showed payments had been suspended 580,000 times since October last year, affecting approximately 5% of people claiming JSA.
Liverpool Echo
