Charities Urge UK Government to Abandon Youth Benefit Cuts

More than 40 leading UK charities, including Save the Children, Barnardo’s, and Scope, have urged government ministers to abandon proposed changes to health-related Universal Credit for claimants under 22. The proposal would delay access to the health element of the benefit until claimants reach age 22, a move that could save £300 million annually but which charities describe as punitive.

Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, has ruled out crude cuts while emphasizing the need to reduce the overall welfare bill and increase conditions for benefits. Simultaneously, the government has commissioned Alan Milburn to conduct a review of youth employment to address the nearly 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education, or training. Milburn's interim findings suggest that current financial incentives may favor inactivity over job market participation.

Charity leaders argue that removing health support would be counterproductive for those with complex needs. Research from the disability charity Scope indicates that 94% of affected households would live in poverty without this support. In response, the Department for Work and Pensions stated it is pursuing the largest youth employment reforms in a generation, including a £2.5 billion support package, and expects Milburn's final report in the autumn.