Unemployed young people to lose benefits

As part of the Budget earlier this year Prime Minister Gordon Brown guaranteed a job, work experience or training place to all 18- to 24-year-olds who have been unemployed for more than a year. 

This comes into force from next January but as part of an overhaul of public services announced this week Brown announced that from next spring this pledge will carry an obligation on young people to accept a place or face cuts in their benefit.

Those who turn down a "suitable" offer once could face losing two weeks benefit, four weeks benefit for a second refusal and 26 weeks for a third refusal.

The guarantee of a job or training place for young people is being backed by £1bn in Government funding to increase the number of available jobs as well as course and training places.