More than 200 people had their jobseeker’s allowance suspended every working day this time last year – plunging struggling Scots into an instant financial crisis.
Shocking Department for Work and Pensions statistics show 4680 claimants had their benefits stopped during April 2012. This is an astonishing increase of 940 per cent, as only 500 people had benefits removed in April 2009.
SNP MP Eilidh Whiteford, who has been campaigning against benefits being stopped unfairly, described the huge rise as “profoundly worrying”.
She said: “The objective, it seems, is to force people off benefits whatever the consequences.” Claimants can have their benefits taken away for months and tough rules introduced by the Tories in October can see jobseeker’s allowance removed for up to three years.
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