The Department of Social Care has introduced new sanctions against people who commit benefit fraud or who are convicted of, or cautioned for, violent or threatening behaviour towards the Department’s staff. Currently, people who commit benefit fraud twice within a five-year period can be disqualified from receiving certain benefits for 13 weeks. New rules approved by Tynwald last month mean that in future people who are found guilty of committing benefit fraud on only one occasion may lose their benefits for four weeks. Furthermore, jobseekers who are convicted of, or cautioned for, violent or threatening behaviour towards the Department’s staff will lose their benefit for one week. If their benefit is already under sanction for another reason, for example because they lost their last job through misconduct or left their job without good cause, the period of the existing sanction will be extended for a further five weeks. Minister for Social Care Hon Martyn Quayle MHK commented: “These measures are intended to act as a deterrent to those who might otherwise be minded to commit benefit fraud, even on a single occasion, or to threaten the well-being of staff who do an excellent job, sometimes in difficult circumstances. Ideally we would not wish to take anyone’s benefits away from them but those who act dishonestly or violently must realise there will now be consequences to their actions. Fortunately, violence towards the Department’s staff is very rare. I believe such measures are necessary to reassure the public that my Department is making every reasonable effort to ensure only valid claimants receive benefits and that benefits cheats will face suitable penalties.” - Ends -