Mental ill-health sufferers gain 'immediate access' to hardship payments

Payments are a safety net to cover day-to-day living costs

People who have had a mental health condition and have had their Jobseeker’s Allowance reduced because of a sanction will be able to access hardship payments immediately, instead of waiting for two weeks. Hardship payments act as a safety net to cover day-to-day living costs. The changes, which also apply to homeless people, will come into effect from October and are expected to help around 10,000 jobseekers over the next four years. Minister for Employment Damian Hinds said that while sanctions encourage jobseekers to “stick to the rules” it can be harder for some people to get back on their feet in difficult circumstances. In the last year, around 2% of Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients were sanctioned each month. People who are pregnant, lone parents and people with long-term physical health conditions can already access hardship payments immediately. Immediate access to hardship payments is already available to people receiving Universal Credit who have received a sanction. Excerpt from Health Insurance Daily, read the full article here.