Grade three sanction or job refusal failure - 13-week non-entitlement period

If a client does not meet their obligations, without a good and sufficient reason, an obligations failure will be initiated and a graduated sanction may be imposed.

The graduated sanction regime applies to all obligations, including social obligations.

If a client fails 3 obligations without a good and sufficient reason in a 24-month period, they are subject to a grade three sanction - 13-week non-entitlement period.

This means for sole parents with dependent children, 3 obligations failures in a 24-month period will result in a 50% cancellation of benefit for 13 weeks.

A client who refuses an offer of suitable employment is subject to a grade 3 sanction, regardless of their failure count in the 24-month period.

Note when an applicant fails their pre-benefit activity to accept an offer of suitable employment, they are not subject to a 13-week non-entitlement period or job refusal failure, as these can only be imposed once a client is getting a main benefit.

For more information see:

• Core policy Pre-benefit requirements
• When the sanction is imposed
• Paying other assistance during a sanction [no link find out why]
• Effect of a non-entitlement period on financial assistance
• Recompliance (13 week non-entitlement period)