Sanctions for couples with dependent children - one person fails their obligations

If one partner fails their obligations for the first time, that person's portion of the benefit is reduced by 50% until they recomply, unless they have a non-financial sanction imposed.

For more information on non-financial sanctions see:

• Non-financial sanctions

While the benefit is reduced, the couple can continue to get supplementary assistance. Winter Energy Payment can continue to be paid as the client is still getting a qualifying benefit.

If the client or partner does not recomply within 4 weeks, they will have their portion of the benefit suspended. While their portion of the benefit is suspended, their portion of Extra help is also suspended. They cannot get their portion of Winter Energy Payment.

The other person continues to get their portion of the main benefit and Extra help. The full couple rate of Winter Energy Payment can be paid to the partner who hasn’t failed.

Their benefit will remain suspended until they recomply or their portion of the benefit is automatically cancelled after 13 weeks.

If one partner fails their obligations a second time, their portion of the benefit is suspended until they recomply. While their portion of the benefit is suspended, their portion of supplementary assistance is also suspended. They cannot get their portion of Winter Energy Payment. The other person continues to get their portion of the main benefit and supplementary assistance. The full couple rate of Winter Energy Payment can be paid to the partner who hasn't failed.

Their benefit will remain suspended until they recomply or their portion of the benefit is automatically cancelled after 13 weeks.

Note if a client has more than one obligation failure initiated on the same day, only one sanction will be imposed on the client. For the sanction to be lifted, the client must successfully dispute or recomply all the obligation failures initiated on the same day.

For their partner's entitlements see:

• Payments to the non-sanctioned client

For more information see:

• Recompliance

If one partner fails their obligations for a third time, their portion of the benefit and supplementary assistance is cancelled. They cannot get their portion of Winter Energy Payment. They are subject to a non-entitlement period for a period of 13 weeks. The client may get a provisional benefit if they start a 6-week approved activity or programme of activities.

If they have not started a 6-week approved activity or programme of activities, they may reapply at the end of the non-entitlement period to get a benefit.

For their partner's entitlements see:

• Payments to the non-sanctioned client

The effect of a sanction on a young partner's assistance depends on whether the client has children and is youth money managed or not.

For more information see:

If the client has not recomplied after 2 weeks, MSD will contact them to discuss financial assistance and recompliance. If the client has still not recomplied after 4 weeks, MSD will send a letter advising that they need to attend an appointment to discuss ongoing entitlement to benefit.

For more information on this process see:

• Sanction period - Two week intervention [no link find out why]
• Sanction period - Four week intervention [no link find out why]