Young Britons could lose the right to claim some benefits for four years

I do hope the government realises how ridiculous this is, and gives up on the idea.
I also hope that the EU does not give in to pressure.
If Cameron has to go to the people in the referendum and show them how little power he has to change things because of his stance on the EU, it might make people realise we are better staying in and changing things slowly from within, rather than grandstanding.

I agree with you about insurance. When my husband fell off a ladder and had to claim on insurance for money to live on, it was six months before it kicked in. During that six months all we had to live on was sickness benefit, which did not pay the mortgage, and savings. An 18 year old will not have much savings. Not having benefits until they are 22 not only denies them money but also the chance to feel a worthwhile member of society.

If Cameron has to go to the people in the referendum and show them how little power he has to change things because of his stance on the EU, it might make people realise we are better staying in and changing things slowly from within, rather than grandstanding.

On the other hand, it may make people realise we'd be better off out of the EU altogether. 'Changing things slowly from within' hasn't worked very well so far, has it?

Quite agree Ana.

As regards the four years, there are likely to be many bored, penniless, very unhappy young people.
That is not good for them or for society.
I would expect there to be riots and an increase in crime.

I don't think David Cameron wants to leave the EU.

I doubt if any of us got benefits at 18 unless we went to university and it seems young people can get social housing these days too which would have been impossible for us. I do think a line needs to be drawn somewhere but have no suggestion where. I would never have thrown mine out so they could claim benefits and do think parents have a responsibility to help their youngsters but what happens if the parents are on benefits, do they get benefits for their over 18s? It all looks very complex to me.

I left school at 17 and was immediately entitled to some benefit, I don't remember how much.
Luckily I got a job very quickly and haven't claimed benefits since.

They are not allowed housing benefit any more.

I hope what this government is bringing in does not affect any of your children or grandchildren.

This can't be thought of from a purely personal perspective Djen.

Healthy 18 year olds can do something , it may not be a dream job, but there will be something they can do, and they should do.For people this age without any parental help or home, no doubt there will be some kind of help available, but as a society we should never condone healthy young people sitting around all day.Not good for us, or them.

My healthy and fit 21 year old granddaughter worked her way through university and left with a ten thousand pound debt. She's one of the lucky ones.
I am not looking at it from a purely personal point of view; I am looking at it from the point of view of the 30% of young people who cannot get work because there are no jobs for them, not even minimum wage.

Cameron and his friends did not expect British youngsters to be caught in his no benefits for 4 years for EU citizens wheeze. He forgets we are in the EU.

Hardly likely that he forgets...

... and back to the topic. If you do believe there should be a pause between initially paying in and being able to draw out of your insurance (national) how long do you think it should be?

DD2 had DGD when she was 20. Both she and her partner worked but were in low paid jobs and had been working since they left school. They needed housing benefit and tax credits to break even. Under the proposed system they wouldn't qualify. Why should hardworking young people be penalised simply because Cameron let his mouth run away with him regarding
re-negotiations.

The impression I get is that Cameron and friends come out with ideas without giving them any real thought then try to push them through into legislation.

As Gracesgran said, this would cause a lot of problems in areas of high unemployment, and how could people be expected to 'get on their bike' to another area if they have no money?

Why should young people who work hard be penalised because Cameron cocked up again?

Mind you they'd spin it by saying how much they'd saved by not paying out benefits.

I'm surprised that you were eligible for benefit at 17 FarNorth. I left home at that age and certainly wasn't - fortunately jobs were easy to come by in those days.

It may not have been much, I don't remember, but I definitely got money for a couple of weeks before I got a job. I remember also giving my brother a lift to the benefits office a couple of years later, when he would have been 16 and had left school.

Was that in Scotland or England?

I have 3 boys in this age group and I fully expect them to be at university or full time work. They know that sitting on their backsides and signing on isn't an option......Why should fit, healthy young men with a roof over their head get anything from the state. My 22 year old left school with reasonable A levels did an apprenticeship. He will move into his own home in a few weeks. The other two will go the university route.

With the NHS and disabled benefits under threat, children with no school places, and libraries etc. closing something has to give.

Some young people will need help eg. if they can't live in the family home. These young people do need short term help from the taxpayer to get them on their feet. If they are at home they should be working (even if it's not their dream job!) or in education.

Most people of my age would have left work at 15 or 16 and still have several years to go. I know that students of my generation did sign on at the dole hole in the summer holidays to boost their grants. Few would think that was acceptable now.

Sorry left school and started work!

My DD was the same durhamjen. She worked from being 14, started with a Saturday/Sunday job in a large chemist and then worked her way through college and then university. She too left with a lot of student debt.

What do other countries in Europe do?

I share the opinion that there are better ways to spend money than on people who are capable of working and living with their families.

Not just on this thread but generally on political threads we credit our leaders with coming up with all the ideas but I doubt if they do. I suspect that Civil Servants at least look at all the options and make proposals. I very much doubt if any politician in power just plucks something out of thin air and goes with it without it being looked into by those highly paid mandarins.

A work ethic is all important at a young age.

I agree but I'd like to refer you back to my posts about DD and her partner. They work hard but are in low paid jobs. If the working benefits top ups hadn't been available they'd have had to give up work and go on benefits full time.

They have friends who have never worked and mock them for 'being stupid' as they have pretty much the same income through working as they would if they were claiming unemployment benefits. In fact in winter they're worse off during very cold weather because they don't qualify for the cold weather payments that their friends received automatically even though they have children under five as well (the child triggers the top up).

Admittedly the proposed benefit changes won't affect them now but it will affect other young couples in position they were in.

Their friends who have never worked are a blot on the landscape VQ.Well done to your family that they do.