SENIOR MPs demanded an urgent review into Tory benefit sanctions last night, warning they have left Britain’s poorest without money to feed themselves.

The work and pensions select committee warned sanctions have seen families already facing “severe financial hardship” left totally bereft of support for more than two weeks at a time.

And they found that Iain Duncan Smith’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has held 49 reviews following the death of a benefit claimant — but the powerful political body could not confirm how many of those claimants had been subjected to a sanction.

Committee chairwoman Dame Anne Begg said: “No claimant should have their benefit payment reduced to zero where they are at risk of severe financial hardship, to the extent of not being able to feed themselves or their families, or pay their rent.”

Her warning came as political storm clouds gathered over Foreign Minister Hugo Swire (pictured, left), who was caught yesterday mocking benefit claimants at annual Tory fundraiser the Black and White Ball.

Footage of the old Etonian at last month’s secretive fundraiser was captured by undercover reporters for Channel 4’s Dispatches.

It shows Mr Swire encouraging bids from his super-rich audience by saying: “£60,000 .... Ian persuade him. He’s not on benefits is he? Well if he is, then he can afford it. £55,000?”

Later he quipped: “It’s quite naff to have Bentleys and Rolls Royces and Ferraris because anybody could have them.”

But chortling Mr Swire’s insinuations stand in stark contrast to the real fight for survival faced by sanctioned claimants, the committee’s report reveals.

Child Poverty Action Group chief executive Alison Garnham said: “Families are being left to struggle for food and the basics because of unrealistic job-seeking conditions they never had a chance of meeting.”

The report also questions the way benefit sanctions are applied, the fairness of the way people are selected for sanctions, and whether the DWP sets targets for jobcentre staff.

MPs called for the next government to launch a “full and independent review” into the policy.

Campaigners warned however that it was already too late for 10,600 people who they claim have died within six weeks of having their benefits sanctioned — some by their own hand.

Disabled People Against Cuts cofounder Debbie Jolly said an independent review is “long overdue.”

But she told the Star: “We need the full figures of these crimes to be made public.

“The DWP must accept responsibility for what is literally corporate manslaughter.

“Those responsible for sanctions should be brought to account through the law courts.”

The select committee call was also welcomed by public-sector union PCS, which represents jobcentre staff.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our position remains that the sanctions regime is pernicious and poisons the relationship between employment advisers and claimants and it should be scrapped entirely.”