Star date: 25th November 2014

SALFORD JOB CENTRE PUSHING PEOPLE TO FOOD BANKS

"It should be re-named Salford Sanction Centre because they don't seem to be helping people with jobs, just sanctioning people..."

Members of the newly formed Salford Unite Community Union protested outside Salford Job Centre, off Churchill Way, this morning to highlight the increasing use of sanctions to kick people off benefits. They also handed out leaflets to claimants giving information on how to challenge sanctions decisions.

Full details here...

Stephanie Vickers was one of those from Salford Unite Community Union protesting outside Salford Job Centre, off Churchill Way, this morning and hearing first hand how sanctions are affecting people's lives...

"I spoke to one lady who has got a six year old girl and she's been sanctioned for not completing her job search correctly, even though she was taking her own initiative and following people up from the past who she thought might be able to give her a job" Stephanie explained "She's not actually done the job search how they wanted her to do it. They've given her no information about what she's supposed to do, she doesn't know where to go.

"She asked the job centre advisor about what she was supposed to do and he said `Do what you want'" Stephanie added "She's talking about going to a food bank."

Sanctions for petty things like not filling a form out right or being a few minutes late for an interview can mean a complete loss of Job Seekers Allowance for a period, which includes housing benefit. And Salford has one of the highest rates of sanctioning in the country.

According to a report by regional economic think tank, New Economy, between October 2012 and December 2013, a whopping 3,208 `adverse' sanctions were handed out to Salford Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants by Baskerville House Job Centre. During one month in December 2013 (latest available figures), 204 sanctions were issued by the Salford Job Centre out of 2,477 JSA claimants – a rate of 8.2%, compared to the Great Britain average of 5.6% (see previous Salford Star article – click here).

"I'm increasingly hearing stories about people being sanctioned for no reason at all or for very vague reasons" said Stephanie "It feels like they're being targeted and so we've got together and provided some information for people coming into the job centre today in the hope that they can challenge the sanctions."

The information included detailed procedures for challenging decisions, while pointing people in the direction of Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre on Liverpool Road in Eccles which has a drop-in session for legal and other advice every Friday afternoon between 1pm and 4pm.

They also encouraged claimants to join the new Salford Unite Community Union branch which is purely for people who are not in regular work.

"People are totally unaware on how to appeal against sanctions, they get no information from inside the centres and it's when they go home that they receive a letter saying they've been sanctioned" explained George Tapp of the Salford Unite Community branch "We've set up the Union in Salford for people who are not working, and want a voice in the community and a union behind them to give them help and support.

"We're going to be outside job centres all over Salford handing out information" he added "Today is the roll out for Universal Credit the Government is claiming a great success but from our evidence it's a total failure. For the lady we met earlier, the only option for her today is a food bank. It's disgusting, they don't care."

Stephanie is in no doubt about the agenda behind sanctions, which the New economy report itself states "may flatter the unemployment data", or, in other words, skew the official unemployment rates...

"This place should be re-named `Salford Sanction Centre' because they don't seem to be helping people with jobs, just sanctioning people" she said "I think they've got targets and, while I don't think it's fair on the people working in the job centre, it makes them into cold compassionless people because they seem to be turning people away and stopping money even for those who have got children. What are they supposed to do?"

For help and advice on benefit sanctions, workfare and Bedroom Tax contact the Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre, 84-86 Liverpool Road, Eccles M30 OWZ 0161 789 2999. Drop-in sessions every Friday 1pm-4pm.

For details of how to join Salford Unite Community Union email gmcrunitecommunity@yahoo.co.uk or phone or text 07775 075124 and they will call you back. Forms can also be collected from the Unemployed Resource Centre.

Photos by Steven Speed