Jews who observe the Sabbath were told they might be classified as having 'availability doubts'

The Government is investigating complaints that unemployed Jewish people have been denied benefits because they cannot work on Saturdays.

It follows reports that Jobcentres in the North West told Jews who observed the Sabbath that they might be classified as having “availability doubts” during the claims process if they were not free to work on Saturdays.

According to the Jewish Chronicle, staff in the Jobcentres concerned said that it was their policy to require people to be available for some Saturday work. One organisation that helps unemployed Jewish people said that it had been informed by about a dozen prospective claimants that they were having problems.

One Orthodox Jewish man was so outraged by the decision to deny him benefits that he took his