>Bring back signing on.
Well maybe not os they are too busy earning cash in hand to attend.
In my experience the signing on system is more onerous than it used to be. You do have to sign every week. Sometimes you have to attend a second time for a coaching session. Your signature is checked electronically. You have to complete a universal jobs match log online everyday and provide full details of all job searches/applications/interviews/next steps. I had to do that earlier this year- and that was just to get NI credits as i wasn't eligible for JSA/UC.
Of course there are some claimants who know their way round the system and may use the excuse of poor language skills, inability to read/write, illness, etc as reasons for not making much job seeking progress or missing appointments but the sanctions system is quite rigorous now.
I am not sure which categories don't have to sign on- I assume it is just some with serous disabilities- and I doubt they could get away with claiming under 17 different names.
It is worrying that someone can claim under 17 names if it's true. Were those IDs checked or were they fictitious or were they all otherwise untraceable illegals? Sounds like someone in authority has slipped up badly here or someone has found a major loophole