Conservative conference: Charities criticise Cameron's 'earn or learn' pledge
Gabriella Jozwiak
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Charities have warned that stripping young people aged under 25 of their right to claim certain benefits could make it harder for them to find work.
David Cameron said the move would ensure young people could only choose between “earning and learning” when they finished compulsory education, rather than living on welfare.
“This is what we want to see: everyone under 25 earning or learning,” said Cameron during his leader’s speech at the Conservative Party Conference.
“Today it is still possible to leave school, sign on, find a flat, start claiming housing benefit and opt for a life on benefits.
“It’s time for bold action here. We should ask, as we write our next manifesto, if that option should exist at all.”
But charities have criticised the Prime Minister’s announcement, warning that the proposals could have a detrimental effect on young people’s “life chances”.
A spokeswoman for The Prince’s Trust said: “We know that the vast majority of young people do want to work and are not content to rely on benefits. Housing benefit is a lifeline for young people from difficult backgrounds who cannot live at home with their parents, or for those who need to support children themselves.
“We are concerned that removing this benefit for the under-25s would make it harder, not easier, for young people to find work.”
Charlotte Hill, chief executive of UK Youth, added: “We know from experience that it’s the most marginalised young people in the UK who go through periods of needing to claim benefits.
“For the government to refuse to support anyone under 25 will seriously harm the life chances of the most vulnerable who are, in many cases, the most deserving on state support.”
Centrepoint’s director of policy Balbir Chatrik warned the government not to "demonise" young people.?
“With record levels of youth unemployment, attempts to get young people into training and employment are welcome, but that cannot come at the expense of taking the roof from over their head.?
“The vast majority of young people want to gain new skills and work but there simply are not the jobs out there for them to fill. We cannot end up in a situation where we are punishing young people because of the failures of the economy.?
“Housing benefit is a vital lifeline, not a lifestyle choice. Removing access to housing benefit will lead to higher levels of individual and family homelessness.”
A Number 10 source confirmed that the proposal to strip benefits would be in the Conservative Party manifesto for the next general election in 2015.
He said the option was being explored as part of the Heywood Review – a government-led examination of the coalition’s strategy to tackle youth unemployment.
He added that the party was yet to agree exactly which benefits the changes would affect.
In his speech, Cameron also suggested the government would increase the number of technical colleges available to provide vocational education for young people.
“We’ve already got technical colleges run by great companies like JCB. Let’s have one of those colleges in every single major town,” he said.
