The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group will be proposing a motion to Oldham council on Wednesday 22 March 2017 supporting new safeguards for vulnerable benefit claimants so less of these claimants receive a benefit sanction.

The motion is being proposed by Councillor Garth Harkness: “Last year, I met with staff at Tameside and Oldham MIND to discuss what could be done to support claimants with a history of mental illness who were being sanctioned because they were unable to comply with the conditions that accompany claiming benefits. In 2015, Council passed a motion recognising that a disproportionate number of such claimants are being sanctioned through no fault of their own.”

“As a result of a referral by MIND to the Greenwich Welfare Rights Service, I became aware of the work that had been done there to provide further safeguards to such vulnerable claimants, and I was keen to bring this model to Oldham.”

“I am pleased to say that discussions between the Liberal Democrat team, officials of the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Head of the Council’s Welfare Rights Service have led to an agreement to establish a pilot project for claimants in receipt of the Employment Support Allowance (or ESA).”

“It is my hope that this pilot will be successful and that as a result less ESA claimants will be sanctioned in Oldham. We should then look to offer the same safeguards to the claimants of other benefits who are vulnerable.”

Seconding the motion, Councillor Julia Turner, said: “The safeguarding model established by our colleagues in Greenwich offers greater protection for vulnerable claimants and is one that we are keen to see adopted in Oldham. In particular in Greenwich, vulnerable claimants are encouraged to nominate a health or social worker to act on their behalf as an advocate or contact person with whom Job Centre staff will work before a sanction is considered.”

“Our motion calls for this initiative to be actively promoted by the Council and for front-line staff in a range of agencies to receive training so that they understand how they can best support these clients. An initial training session has been organised by staff in the Liberal Democrat Office for such workers on the day of Council as we want to make sure the message goes out as quickly as possible.”

“We are also calling for a Vulnerability Guide to be created as a ready source of information for these workers and for a liaison group to be established with representatives from all of the relevant agencies to ensure that the initiative works.”

The Liberal Democrat Office and the Manager of Oldham Council’s Welfare Rights Service have been working together to replicate in Oldham safeguards introduced by the Royal Greenwich Welfare Rights Service.

Counillor Garth Harkness said “Training will be provided to front-line workers and volunteers to ensure that they can support vulnerable claimants in completing and registering the paperwork. An initial training session is scheduled for 22 March. I would personally like to thank our researcher Richard Outram for all his hard work in helping move this forward”