Government insists charities form no part of welfare system and this is merely a 'signpost', but 'high level process' in place
Although the DWP say
it does not refer claimants to food banks, one document is called 'Food
Bank Referral Service - High Level Process'. Photograph: Jeff J
Mitchell/Getty Images
The Department for Work and Pensions is advising jobcentres on how to send people to food banks, official documents show – despite ministers' claiming the charitable support forms no part of the welfare system.
Ministers insist jobcentres "do not refer people to food banks or issue vouchers" and that food banks are "absolutely not a part of the welfare system because we have other means of supporting people". They say jobcentres only "signpost" the existence of food banks and dispute the link between welfare changes and a surge in their use.
However, documents obtained under freedom of information laws show there is a "high level process" written by the DWP to be followed when benefit claimants say they are in hardship because of government policy and need food.
A six-step flowchart for jobcentre staff shows that the four reasons to recommend a food bank when claimants ask for help are hardship caused by benefit changes, benefit payment delays, a benefit advance has been refused, or the advance is not enough to meet their needs.
Jobcentres that choose to offer a food bank referral "service" are told to do a health and safety assessment before sending people to a particular charity.
As part of the process, Jobcentre Plus staff fill in a slip with the claimant's details but another document orders them, in bold letters, not to describe this as a "food voucher" – apparently so as not to erode the argument that they are not part of the welfare system.
The documents show each jobcentre is told to write down how many people have been sent to food banks on a "slip record sheet", even though the DWP has said: "Food banks are not part of government policy and, as such, the Department for Work and Pensions does not hold or collect information on their usage."
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Ministers insist jobcentres "do not refer people to food banks or issue vouchers" and that food banks are "absolutely not a part of the welfare system because we have other means of supporting people". They say jobcentres only "signpost" the existence of food banks and dispute the link between welfare changes and a surge in their use.
However, documents obtained under freedom of information laws show there is a "high level process" written by the DWP to be followed when benefit claimants say they are in hardship because of government policy and need food.
A six-step flowchart for jobcentre staff shows that the four reasons to recommend a food bank when claimants ask for help are hardship caused by benefit changes, benefit payment delays, a benefit advance has been refused, or the advance is not enough to meet their needs.
Jobcentres that choose to offer a food bank referral "service" are told to do a health and safety assessment before sending people to a particular charity.
As part of the process, Jobcentre Plus staff fill in a slip with the claimant's details but another document orders them, in bold letters, not to describe this as a "food voucher" – apparently so as not to erode the argument that they are not part of the welfare system.
The documents show each jobcentre is told to write down how many people have been sent to food banks on a "slip record sheet", even though the DWP has said: "Food banks are not part of government policy and, as such, the Department for Work and Pensions does not hold or collect information on their usage."
Read more...
