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Welfare cuts: Statistics watchdog urges Government to release clear information on benefits sanctions

The Department has resisted calls to reveal how many people have died after having benefits sanctioned

Saturday 08 August 2015 14:57 BST

Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith (Getty Images)

The UK’s statistics watchdog has called on the Department of Work and Pensions to give “objective and impartial” information on benefits sanctions, it has been reported.

The Guardian reports that Sir Andrew Dilnot, Chief of the UK Statistics Authority, is to write to the department’s leading statistician to request that they publish a greater volume of data in a clearer manner.

Iain Duncan Smith has been heavily criticised for delaying the release of statistics on the number of benefit claimants who have died after having their benefits sanctioned, or stopped.

In 2012 the Government responded to journalists' requests to release mortality data on disability benefit claimants who died, including after being found fit to work.

The figures caused negative publicity for the Government at the time; no further statistics have been released.

The DWP was asked to to release the latest stats this April, under the Freedom of Information Act, which requires a response within 20 days.

The request was denied by the Government, but the Information Commissioner transparency watchdog overruled Whitehall and said there was no good reason for the statistics not to be published now.

What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

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1/8What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

Welfare payments will be slashed

One of the most controversial parts of the Conservative manifesto was to cut benefits for the working age poor by £12 bn over the next three years. But during the campaign they only said where £2 bn of these savings would come from. That leaves £10 bn still to find. Some experts think the only way they can close that gap is by means testing child benefit – with millions of families losing out

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What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

There will be tax cuts for those in work and those who die

The Tories will increase the threshold at which the 40p rate of tax becomes payable to £50,000 by 2020. They haven’t said so but it is also likely that at some point in the next five years they will abolish that 45p rate of tax altogether for the highest earners. They also want to increase the effective inheritance tax threshold for married couples and civil partners to £1m

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What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

There will be an in/out EU referendum in 2017

The next two years are going to be dominated by the prospect of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. First off David Cameron has the daunting task of negotiating a deal with other EU leaders an acceptable deal that he can sell to his party so he can go into the referendum campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote. This may be unachievable and it is possible that the Tories may end up arguing to leave. Opinion polls show Britain is divided on EU membership, one poll this year showed 51% said they would opt to leave compared to 49% who would vote to stay in

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What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

There will be more privatisation of the NHS

Having won the election the Tories now have a mandate to go further and faster reforming the NHS. In order to make cost savings there is likely to be greater private involvement in running services, while some smaller hospitals may lose services they currently provide like A&E and maternity units

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What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

There will be many more free schools – and traditional state schools will become a thing of the past

The Tories plans to create 500 new free schools and make 3,000 state schools become academies. They will also carry on reforming the Department of Education and remove more powers from local authorities over how schools are run

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What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

On shore wind farms will be a thing of the past and fracking will be the future

Government spending on renewable energy is under real threat now the Lib Dems are no longer in power with the Tories. Subsidies are likely to be slashed for off-shore wind farm and other green energy supplies. Meanwhile there will be generous tax break for fracking as ministers try and incentivise the industry to drill for onshore oil and gas

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What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

There maybe more free childcare – but not necessarily

In the campaign the Tories pledged to double the amount of free early education for three- and four-year-olds from 15 hours a week to 30. The extra hours would only be offered to working families where parents are employed for at least eight hours a week. However they have not said where the money will come from to fund the pledge

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What does five more years of the Tories mean for Britain?

Workers' rights could be reduced

The Tories want to slash business regulation, merge regulator and cut costs. The Lib Dems stopped them from reducing the employment rights of workers in power – but these are now under threat

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Last month, the department said that the data would be published “in the Autumn”, but did not give a more specific time frame.

Nearly a quarter of a million people have signed a petition asking the Government to publish figures.

Employment Minister Priti Patel has defended the department, telling the House of Commons: “The Government intends to publish mortality statistics but before doing so they need to meet the high standards expected of official statistics. Once we have completed that important work we will publish them.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions told The Independent: “We regularly review how we produce and publish official statistics. The Head of Profession for Statistics will look at the letter from the UKSA and consider the recommendations.”

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