UK Prime Minister David Cameron has already committed to the next Conservative Government abolishing Job Seeker’s Allowance for 18-21 year olds and replacing it with a Youth Allowance, time-limited to six months, in what is seen as a tough clampdown on youth benefit claimants.
New figures on Youth Unemployment from @ukces show 40% of all unemployed people in the UK are under 25 pic.twitter.com/ISZzXi0aL2
— TUC Young Workers (@TUCYoungWorkers) February 13, 2015
After the six-month period, claimants will be required to undertake an apprenticeship or daily community work for their benefits. Now he wants to go further, ensuring that any 18-21 year old who has been ‘NEET’ for six months prior to claiming benefits will be required to do community work right from the start of their claim.
Speaking ahead of launching the election manifesto pledge, Cameron said:
“Our welfare reforms are a key part of our long-term economic plan. They are not just about saving money. They are about changing lives and making this a country that rewards work and gives everyone the chance of a better future."
“That is why we are taking further steps to help young people make something of their lives. Our goal in the next Parliament is effectively to abolish long-term youth unemployment. We want to get rid of that well-worn path from the school gate, down to the Job Centre, and onto a life on benefits,” he said.
The Community Work Programme, which can include working for local charities, typically involves 30 hours a week of a week for three months plus 10 hours of job search activity a week. There are currently around 50,000 new claims a year from 18-21 year olds who have been NEET, around 10 percent of all claims.
Cameron wants NEETs to do 30 hrs community work if they're claiming benefits http://t.co/UEvHg67H8M I'm torn on whether this is a good idea
— Lucy Sherriff (@sherrifflucy) February 17, 2015
Tory Failing Plan
Community Work Placements have been shown to be more effective in moving claimants off benefits than the normal Jobcentre Plus signing on regime, and one pilot in London specifically with day one work requirements proved even more so. At current volumes the policy would cost around £20m to deliver, paid for from the initial savings generated by the roll out of Universal Credit.
Who are we really talking about when we talk about #NEETs? http://t.co/VrGjJwFt5P pic.twitter.com/slC6h0yoKE
— ILO (@ilo) February 16, 2015
Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting ahead of David Cameron’s speech, said:
"With youth unemployment rising, not falling, the government should introduce Labour’s compulsory jobs guarantee to get young people off benefits and into paid work."
"Under David Cameron young people can spend years claiming benefit without being offered and required to take up paid work. Labour's compulsory jobs guarantee would ensure young people are given the chance to learn, earn and contribute.”
'The choice we face in May is clear. A Tory failing plan which has abandoned thousands of young people or Labour’s plan to get young jobseekers back to work.”
