DWP: Housing Benefit Will Be Sanctioned

Part-time workers judged to be doing too little to find full-time work face having their benefit for housing costs sanctioned by the government for the first time under universal credit. Under the present system housing benefit is paid direct to landlords and sanctions can only be applied to out-of-work benefits. Landlords have been lobbying the government to exempt the housing element of the single payment from sanctions in all circumstances. However, the DWP has confirmed that under universal credit, where a tenant is working less than 35 hours a week at minimum wage and is not eligible for JSA or ESA, the housing element can be sanctioned instead. Read more on Inside Housing.