The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing pressure from leading charities to reconsider plans to reduce benefits for 184,000 Universal Credit claimants aged 16 to 24. These young individuals currently receive the health element of Universal Credit, a vital support for those facing significant physical and mental health challenges.
A coalition of prominent organisations, including Action for Children, Save the Children, Barnardo’s, Scope, Sense, Mind, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, has sent a joint letter to DWP minister Pat McFadden and Alan Milburn, the adviser examining the rising crisis among young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET).
The letter underscores that young claimants in this group contend with complex health needs rather than mild conditions, emphasising that any reforms must be centred on providing support and meaningful opportunities rather than repeating punitive measures of the past. The charities advocate for a shift away from strict conditionality and sanctioning, which evidence suggests exacerbate both health difficulties and poverty, particularly among disabled individuals.
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Lucy Schonegevel, Director of Influencing at Action for Children, warned that reducing benefits or intensifying sanctions would only increase poverty and alienate young people from the workforce. She highlighted that effective interventions include early, personalised support alongside real job and volunteering opportunities, rather than cuts or harsher penalties.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who has campaigned against previous disability benefit cuts, stressed the importance of providing adequate support to disabled youth to help them access employment. She called for a cultural transformation within workplaces to ensure reasonable adjustments are made and urged collaborative development of solutions that address the unique challenges faced by disabled young people.
As the Milburn review progresses, these appeals underscore the urgent need for policies that prioritise care, inclusion, and opportunity to improve outcomes for vulnerable young claimants receiving Universal Credit.