The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has revealed that tens of thousands are missing out on unemployment benefit because they don’t understand the rules.
Many claimants are not aware of government sanction rules says the TUC. If people leave work voluntarily, through misconduct, turn down a job offer or give up a place on a training scheme then they are not entitled to the benefit, in the past year over 146,300 cases were turned down for reasons like this.
TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“These figures are unacceptably high, with too many people being denied benefits and suffering hardship because of a lack of information. That’s why the TUC has been working with Jobcentre Plus to provide this invaluable information on benefit sanctions.
“Workers who are thinking of leaving their jobs should look before they leap and be aware of their benefit rights, or find themselves losing out.”
Statistics show that in the year 2003-2004 69,381 workers left employment voluntarily and 13,760 lost employment through misconduct. These claimants were amongst others who were denied Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Jobcentre Plus in conjunction with the TUC have launched a new advice leaflet ‘Jobseekers Allowance rules for people leaving work voluntarily or through misconduct’ to coincide with today’s TUC Conference on Poverty.
