Charities warn ministers against disability benefit cuts in youth employment review
Sector leaders argue that removing the universal credit health element would deepen poverty and hinder employment prospects for vulnerable young people with complex needs.
More than 40 UK charities have jointly written to Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden and Alan Milburn, the head of the government’s review into youth employment, urging ministers not to impose stricter eligibility rules or cuts to disability benefits for young people. The coalition warns that the upcoming Milburn review, which aims to address flagging youth job rates, may resurrect proposals to remove the universal credit health element for under-22s with disabilities.
The charities argue that such measures would deepen poverty and hinder employment prospects for vulnerable individuals with complex health needs. They advocate instead for tailored support and earlier intervention, challenging claims from Reform UK and the Conservatives that social security budgets are out of control. The letter notes that spending on working-age benefits is projected to remain flat as a percentage of GDP over the remainder of the parliament.
Lucy Schonegevel, director of influencing at Action for Children, stated that evidence points to earlier intervention and meaningful job opportunities rather than sanctions. The signatories, including Save the Children, Barnardo’s, Scope, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, assert that cutting benefits worsens health and deepens poverty, while strict conditionality is counterproductive for disabled people.
Whitehall sources confirmed that no decision has been made on the proposal to remove the universal health element for those under 22, though it is being considered as part of the review. The Department for Work and Pensions highlighted a £2.5bn youth employment support package, including a new apprenticeship bursary, and noted that Milburn’s final report is expected in autumn.
Andy Burnham recently unveiled a policy of 24-hour free bus passes for disabled people, removing previous time restrictions. Labour MP Rachael Maskell emphasised the need to change employment culture to ensure adjustments are made for disabled people and to co-produce solutions with them.
