A report published in April by the former Children, Schools and Families select committee about young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) urged the government to address the barriers that risk preventing young people on benefits from improving their skills through unpaid work or volunteering.
But despite concerns raised in the report, the coalition government argues that the benefit system strikes the right balance between encouraging young people to gain paid work, while allowing them to undertake positive volunteering activities.
In its formal response to the select committee report, the government states: "The benefits system does not deter young people from pursuing opportunities in education. The treatment of volunteers on benefits is generous and flexible; there is no limit to the amount of unpaid, voluntary work that someone receiving benefits may undertake so long as the usual conditions of entitlement are met.
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