Criminals on Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support or Pension Credit who refuse to pay court fines for offences such as theft, vandalism and handling stolen goods face a tougher penalty.
The maximum amount of money that can be automatically deducted from fine defaulters’ benefits will rise from £2.80 to £5 a week.
The new measure targets offenders who refuse to pay their fine or choose to have it deducted from their benefits. It achieves a balance between preventing hardship, such as imprisonment, whilst at the same time enforcing a personal and legal obligation. More than 20,000 people have money automatically deducted from their benefits to pay off fines. It is estimated that about 90 per cent of cases will attract a deduction rate at the new level of £5 – that’s about £400,000 a year.
What they say
Courts Minister Christopher Leslie said: "Victims of crime expect justice. The general public expects justice. And the courts expect their orders to be obeyed. No-one is above the law. The increase in deductions from benefits makes it very clear that fine default will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Fines are a credible sentencing option when they are properly enforced, and the new measure will ensure that not only will debt be collected more quickly and victim compensation paid more speedily, but people can have greater confidence in the criminal justice system. There is only one way to escape punishment now; don’t break the law in the first place."
The new amount which can be deducted from certain benefits came into effect on 18 December and relates to new cases only. It does not affect cases where deductions for fines are already being made.
