Young people will be expected to engage with new support to find work, Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary has said.”
McFadden said a new bursary would compensate for a quirk in the system that could mean families lose some benefits if a teenager took up an apprenticeship. The penalty – where the family loses the child component of universal credit – is most likely to affect single parents or disabled teenagers under 18.
Burnham is seeking to address the crisis of mounting unemployment among young people and said on Tuesday morning he would aim to implement fundamental changes in the education system to emphasise technical and vocational skills, especially those relevant to local businesses. Both Burnham and McFadden have said they are determined to reform the welfare system, especially by providing more opportunities for young people on long-term sickness benefits to return to the workforce.
The prime minister also said on Monday he wanted to change the nature of the support and make some of it conditional upon people taking opportunities that are presented in front of them … So you might increase the conditions required to receive benefits The government is also expected to receive the second part of Alan Milburn’s review this autumn, looking at growing youth unemployment and lack of engagement with education and training.
Burnham to tell schools in England to adapt teaching to local business needs- what do you think?
