More than one in 20 Universal Credit claimants searching for work have been sanctioned in Allerdale, new research shows.

The figures come as a think tank calls on the Government to pause benefit sanctions until inflation is brought under control.

Analysis of Home Office data by the Institute for Public Policy Research, a think tank, shows 1,402 people receiving Universal Credit in Allerdale were deemed to be 'looking for work' as of November – 84 (6%) of which had been sanctioned.

Evidence suggests people are most often sanctioned due to missing Jobcentre appointments.

Across the country, around 100,000 people have had their Universal Credit payments cut.

For those classed as searching for work, more than one in 13 had been sanctioned – double the rate before the pandemic.

The figures show people in the North of England are far more likely to face benefit sanctions – with the North East (9.2%), North West (9%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (8.8%) topping the list of worst-impacted regions.