TWO-thirds of Universal Credit claimants given benefit sanctions in the North-West are under 30, new figures produced by Labour show.

Out of a total of 117,503 decisions to dock payments in the region, 76,445 have been applied to claimants aged aged 29 or less.

That represents 65 per cent of Universal Credit sanctions in the North West, according to the Labour analysis for Department for Work and Pension figures.

A total of 16,147 of the sanctions imposed in the region have been applied to 18 and 19-year-olds

Universal Credit brings togetgher six benefits to try and make the system simpler and encourage people back into work,

Margaret Greenwood , Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:“The Tories’ cruel sanctions regime is hitting our young people hardest.

“We all know how easy it is to ignore an envelope on the mat for a few weeks – and that’s particularly the case for young people stressed out by a zero-hours job or by trying to find child care.

“Rather than supporting the under 30s to get into secure, well-paid jobs, the Tories are hitting with them with vicious sanctions."

Work and Pension Secretary Esther McVey said: "Some people could be worse off on this benefit. But a thousand people every day since 2010 have gone in to work

Nationally Labour’s analysis, using DWP StatXplore, shows more han 70 per cent of sanctions applied under Universal Credit have landed on claimants aged under 30.