Benefit sanctions "should not be applied" to people failing to look for work for the next three months, the Tory welfare chief confirmed today.
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said people will not have their benefits stopped for failing to attend a Jobcentre - which are shut to claimants.
She also confirmed DWP staff have stopped checking if people are "looking for and being available for work".
That means "no sanctions should be applied for that reason for the next three months", Ms Coffey said.
But the DWP chief stopped short of explicitly outlawing all benefit sanctions whatever the reason.
And she insisted "we want claimants to continue to look for work" despite the outbreak - suggesting they could apply to work in Tesco.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Margaret Greenwood said: "The Government must clarify whether it will suspend all existing sanctions, as Labour has been calling for, and it must explain too why it is only suspending sanctions for three months.
"The Government must communicate its position clearly to claimants. Poverty generates ill health; no one should live in fear of destitution."
Ms Coffey updated the government's position in a letter to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee today.
She said claimants will continue to receive benefits "as normal" despite not being expected to contact Jobcentres.
She wrote: "Recognising the need for DWP civil servants to focus on the processing of claims, we will not be checking conditionally compliance regarding looking for and being available for work for the next three months.
"This means no sanctions should be applied for that reason for the next three months, and regulations will be introduced to bring that to effect."
But she added: "These are difficult times, however, new jobs are being created. Retailers have announced tens of thousands of new jobs in response to the coronavirus outbreak and I would urge claimants to explore these opportunities and others, where able to do so."
Government guidance says benefit claimants can also be made to "prepare for work", not just look for work - this can include writing a CV.
Work and Pensions Committee chairman Stephen Timms called for clarity.
He told the Mirror: "It is at least in theory possible that people could be sanctioned for things that don't require the Jobcentre.
"I am planning to write again to the Secretary of State just to clarify these things a bit further.
"The last thing we want to be doing in this crisis is sanctioning people. The DWP has much more important things to be getting on with."
