there were 227,629 claimants sanctioned, a rise of 69,600 compared to the equivalent time in 2012. Over a million British claimants were sanctioned between October 2012 and December 2013. 633,000 got their benefits back after referral and 580,273 referrals were cancelled. Even when benefits are restored on appeal the stress sanctions cause can worsen mental health. Paul Jenkins, chief executive of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, who previously worked for Rethink Mental Illness, criticised the reintroduction of sanctions, which were suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. He said benefit sanctions policy was “really cruel and ineffective”. Alleged pressure on Job centre staff According to Patrick Wintour in the Guardian, job centre staff were threatened they would be disciplined and given targets because it was felt too few claimants were sanctioned. Statistics are kept about the proportion of claimants sanctioned at each job centre and those with relatively low proportions of claimants sanctioned can face questions. There has been a 'climate of fear' at job centres with staff under pressure to sanction innocent people to meet targets. Also sanctions harm the children of sanctioned claimants. Sanctioned claimants and their families sometimes need food banks to get something to eat. The government was urged to review the effects of sanctions in particular on claimants with psychiatric problems and disabilities. People with Learning disability frequently have trouble understanding what is required of them. James Bolton of Mencap said, See also Unemployment benefits Welfare (financial aid) Workfare References External links Jobseeker's Allowance on Gov.uk Unemployment in the United Kingdom Social security in the United Kingdom