Guidance

Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions

It’s important you understand what you must do to get your benefit payment and what will happen if you don’t do this.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 21 July 2014
• Last updated: 26 October 2021
  Show all updates

  1. 26 October 2021

     Added guidance about sanctions for New Style Jobseeker's Allowance.

  2. 27 November 2019

     High level sanction maximum period reduced from 156 weeks (3 years) to 26 weeks (about 6 months).

  3. 9 December 2016

     Added Welsh version of 'Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions: how to keep your benefit payment'.

  4. 20 July 2016

     Removed this section – "What should I do if I think DWP hasn't notified me of a sanction?" because it's no longer needed.

  5. 22 October 2015

     Added a new section that explains what you should do if you think DWP has not notified you of a sanction.

  6. 26 November 2014

     Published November 2014 edition of the leaflet.

  7. 21 July 2014

     First published.

Documents

Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions: how to keep your benefit payment

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Details

This factsheet takes you through:

• what you must do to keep your benefit payment
• how long your benefit payment could be stopped for and when your claim could be ended
• what you could do if you didn’t agree with the decision to stop your benefit payment or end your claim
• what you should do if your benefit payment is stopped or your claim is ended
• how you find out about hardship payments if you don’t have enough money to live on because your benefit payment has been stopped or your claim has ended

Read more about Jobseeker’s Allowance.