SWINDON Jobcentre saw its third protest against the Department of Work and Pensions sanctioning policy on jobseekers’ benefits yesterday.

The protest was part of a national campaign against the Government’s policy of cancelling some of claimants’ benefits when they fail to turn up to an interview, appointment, or where they refuse to go on work experience or a training course.

Angel Grace, 42, from Freshbrook, was the organiser of the demonstrations against ATOS, the firm which assesses jobseekers’ fitness to work, in Swindon.

She said: “There weren’t as many people who came along as last time but it’s still raising more awareness.

“It shouldn’t be called a Job Centre. It’s like the workhouse. We are going backwards.

“People go into the Job Centre and they are just getting depressed. They feel they are just getting punished, and people shouldn’t be punished just because they don’t have a job.

“Sanctions need to be abolished. ATOS assessments need to be abolished when GPs can provide vital evidence.

“DWP need to stop wasting billions of pounds on systems that don’t work.”