A coalition of organisations wants the suspension of Universal Credit sanctions to continue for a further six months

Poverty groups have united to call for a continued suspension of Universal Credit sanctions.

At the end of March, the UK Government suspended all work-related conditionality and sanctions for people on Universal Credit for a period of three months.

And now a coalition of organisations – including One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS), the MS Society and the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) – have called for the measures to be extended for a further six months.

The groups argue this will prevent those who are unable to get into work from being punished.

“At the end of March, the government suspended all work-related conditionality and sanctions for people on Universal Credit for a period of three months,” a joint statement released by the coalition said.

“This was a welcome step that recognised the exceptional pressures on the labour market well as the operational challenges being faced by the Department for Work and Pensions. Those regulations are due to expire on Tuesday (30 June).

“As the government’s Jobs Retention Scheme comes to an end with the UK facing the risk of the biggest increase in unemployment in a generation, we are calling for a further six month suspension of work related conditionality and sanctions. This would recognise that the employment market has fundamentally changed in the past few months and may get worse in the near future, while giving the time and space to develop programmes and policies that give people all the support they need to get back to work.”