Our Director Professor Peter Dwyer gave evidence in person on behalf of our project to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into benefit sanctions today (20 June).

He told MPs that welfare conditionality does not move disabled people into work – ‘so we should concentrate on support’. Benefit sanctions for this group are inappropriate, he said, and should be ended.

Benefit sanctions for Universal Credit recipients who are in work are also inappropriate, Professor Dwyer said.

Watch the session on Parliament TV.

The invitation to give evidence in person followed our project’s written submission to the inquiry. Key points in evidence included:

• Welfare conditionality in the form of benefit sanctions is routinely ineffective in facilitating people’s entry into, or progression within, the paid labour market over time.
• In contrast, appropriate personalised support is pivotal in triggering and sustaining such movements into paid work.

Read the full submission.

The evidence draws on our project’s final research findings published in May. Read our findings.