The rule prevents young people over 19 from claiming housing benefit if they are in full-time education. The call came at an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Foyers meeting held at the House of Lords last week to mark the start of the supported accommodation provider's Give Us A Chance campaign.
Foyer residents from across England told MPs that current legislation forces them to give up studying or to work part time to pay for tuition.
The organisation believes the 16-hour rule affects at least 2,000 of its residents.
One young man, Michael Shillingford, 19, who lives at Karibu House Foyer in Nottingham, told the group that some days he has to work until 3am and then get up for college at 7am. "The current rules are ridiculous," said Michael. "They ignore that not every young person comes from a stable home."
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