Jobcentres told to stop referring benefit claimants to food banks

DWP briefing says jobcentres should no longer issue ‘signposting slips’ over concerns about data privacy

Jobcentre officials have been ordered to stop referring penniless benefit claimants to food banks because it breaches data privacy law, in a move charities have warned will cause delays in crisis help for thousands of hungry households.

For years the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has allowed jobcentres to issue DWP-designed “signposting slips”, which allow claimants to access local food banks, many of which will not give out food parcels without a formal referral.