The Department for Work and Pensions is facing calls from leading charities to protect 184,000 young Universal Credit claimants from potential benefit cuts. In a letter to DWP minister Pat McFadden and Alan Milburn, who is reviewing the NEET crisis, charities have urged the Labour government to avoid punitive measures and instead focus on support and opportunity.
About 184,000 young people aged 16-24 currently receive the Universal Credit health element. Charities argue this group has complex physical and mental health needs, not mild conditions, and that cutting benefits would be counterproductive.
Charities call for support over sanctions
The letter, signed by Action for Children, Save the Children, Barnardo’s, Scope, Sense, Mind and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, states: “Change is needed. But this must be built around the principles of support and opportunity, rather than the failed punitive approaches of the past.”
The signatories add: “Evidence shows that cutting benefits worsens health and deepens poverty, while strict conditionality and sanctions is particularly counterproductive and harmful for disabled people.”
Action for Children warns of poverty risk
Lucy Schonegevel, director of influencing at Action for Children, said: “Cutting benefits or ramping up sanctions will simply drive up poverty and push young people further away from work. If ministers want better outcomes for disabled young people, the evidence points to earlier intervention, tailored support and meaningful job and volunteering opportunities, not sanctions or cuts.”
The letter comes as Alan Milburn examines the NEET (not in education, employment or training) crisis, with charities seeking to influence the review’s recommendations.
MP calls for co-produced solutions
Rachael Maskell, the Labour MP who helped lead the campaign against previous cuts to disability benefits, said: “It is vital that disabled young people are given the support they need in order to access work. We have to not only change the culture of employment to ensure that adjustments are made so disabled people can access work, but also recognise the challenges that are experienced by disabled young people and co-produce solutions and support to open up opportunities with them.”
The charities’ intervention highlights concerns that any cuts could disproportionately affect disabled young people, who already face barriers to employment. The outcome of the Milburn Review and the government’s response will determine whether these 184,000 claimants see their benefits protected or reduced.
