More than 40,000 disabled people receiving Employment Support Allowance (ESA) have had their benefits docked since 2012, new data released by the Department for Work and Pensions reveals.

The figures, released quarterly, come as the Government prepares to cut ESA benefits for new disabled claimants from April by £29 a week in the work-related activity group (Wrag). It is estimated to affect around half a million new claimants and has been criticised by campaigners for making it harder for disabled people to find work.

The new statistics show that, in total, 85,112 people on ESA benefits between December 2012 and September 2016 had their income docked after being “sanctioned” for failing to meet Government guidelines. Of these, 71,366 cases represent disabled people. But the DWP insists this accounts for 41,000 disabled individuals – meaning that some people had their income slashed more than once.

Benefits can be reduced for up to four weeks and these punishments can be applied for reasons including “failing to attend a mandatory interview” and “failing to participate in work related activity”. It has led some campaigners to call on the welfare department to treat disabled people “with a bit of human decency” rather than pushing those who are struggling into poverty.

Debbie Abrahams, the shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, told The Independent that it is “shocking to see that the Government have issued over 71,000 sanctions to disabled people on Employment Support Allowance that have been sanctioned since the Tories ramped up the regime in 2012”.

“This problem only seems to be getting increasingly worse, with nearly twice as many people being sanctioned on a monthly basis now than at the start of this year,” she added.

The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned Show all 16 1 /16 The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "One case where the claimant’s wife went into premature labour and had to go to hospital. This caused the claimant to miss an appointment. No leeway given" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "It’s Christmas Day and you don’t fill in your job search evidence form to show that you’ve looked for all the new jobs that are advertised on Christmas Day. You are sanctioned. Merry Christmas" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You apply for three jobs one week and three jobs the following Sunday and Monday. Because the job centre week starts on a Tuesday it treats this as applying for six jobs in one week and none the following week. You are sanctioned for 13 weeks for failing to apply for three jobs each week" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A London man missed his Jobcentre appointments for two weeks because he was in hospital after being hit by a car. He was sanctioned" 2011 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You’ve been unemployed for seven months and are forced onto a workfare scheme in a shop miles away, but can’t afford to travel. You offer to work in a nearer branch but are refused and get sanctioned for not attending your placement" 2013 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You are a mum of two, and are five minutes late for your job centre appointment. You show the advisor the clock on your phone, which is running late. You are sanctioned for a month" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man with heart problems who was on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) had a heart attack during a work capability assessment. He was then sanctioned for failing to complete the assessment" Rex The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man who had gotten a job that was scheduled to begin in two weeks’ time was sanctioned for not looking for work as he waited for the role to start" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Army veteran Stephen Taylor, 60, whose Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) was stopped after he sold poppies in memory of fallen soldiers" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man had to miss his regular appointment at the job centre to attend his father’s funeral. He was sanctioned even though he told DWP staff in advance" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Ceri Padley, 26, had her benefits sanctioned after she missed an appointment at the jobcentre - because she was at a job interview" Jason Doiy Photography The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man got sanctioned for missing his slot to sign on - as he was attending a work programme interview. He was then sanctioned as he could not afford to travel for his job search" 2012 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Mother-of-three Angie Godwin, 27, said her benefits were sanctioned after she applied for a role job centre staff said was beyond her" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Sofya Harrison was sanctioned for attending a job interview and moving her signing-on to another day" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Michael, 54, had his benefits sanctioned for four months for failing to undertake a week’s work experience at a charity shop. The charity shop had told him they didn’t want him there" Getty The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Terry Eaton, 58, was sanctioned because he didn’t have the bus fare he needed to attend an appointment with the job centre" Getty Images

“Taken with the cuts to Employment and Support Allowance, this worrying trend goes to show how the Tories have waged seven years of failed austerity on the backs of disabled people.

Despite a gradual fall in the number of people facing benefit sanctions towards the end of 2015, there appeared to be a significant spike the following year. In September 2015 the DWP decided to cut ESA benefits as a punishment 988 times; this rose to 1,545 times in the same month of 2016 – a 56 per cent increase.

Baroness Cathy Bakewell, the welfare spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, added that “penalising sick and disabled people won’t make them any better”. Ms Bakewell said the new statistics provided evidence that the sanction system is failing.

“Perhaps instead of pushing those who are struggling into poverty the Government should be treating them with a bit of human decency,” she added. “Rather than cutting benefits for those who are too sick to work they could invest in the NHS, to help those who will be able to work in the future, or ensure their road to recovery isn’t made harder by not being able to buy decent food or heat their homes.”

Phil Reynolds, the co-chair of the Disability Benefits Consortium, told The Independent there was no clear evidence that cutting disabled people’s benefit “will do anything to improve their chances of returning to work”.

He added: “In fact, it’s likely to cause unnecessary stress and anxiety that could make their condition worse, and push them further from the workplace.

“It’s vital that the Department for Work and Pensions stops sanctioning disabled people, and instead works supportively with them, to help them recover and be able to think about working again in the future.”

James Taylor, head of policy and public affairs at disability charity Scope, said the statistics “are yet another reminder of the negative impact sanctions can have on disabled people”.

He added: “There’s no clear evidence that cutting disabled people’s benefits will do anything to improve their chances of returning to work. In fact, it’s likely to cause unnecessary stress and anxiety that could make their condition worse, and push them further from the workplace.

“It’s vital that the Department for Work and Pensions stops sanctioning disabled people, and instead works supportively with them, to help them recover and be able to think about working again in the future.”