Professor Paul Gregg from the University’s Centre for Market and Public Organisation has been appointed by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to conduct a review of sanctions in the benefits system. His appointment is reported in the Guardian today [7 August] and was previously reported on by the Press Association and in the Bristol Evening Post.

The review forms part of DWP’s wider review of the welfare system.

Speaking about his appointment, Professor Gregg said:

‘Over the last decade the welfare system has offered more support to get people back into work and expected more of people in return. This has been a central part of what has worked best in recent British welfare policy – with over a million fewer people on out-of-work benefits – while underpinning a fair deal of rights and responsibilities.

‘The recent welfare reform green paper set out a number of significant proposals to extend this approach – to new groups and with new expectations. The next phase of reform is to shape a far more personalised system, matching support with expectations of individuals that are effective, appropriate and challenging. I am delighted to be leading this review to set out such a vision and the steps that will be needed to get there.’