"The outdated benefit rules cause documented harm, distorting poorer children's career decisions at the point where they must decide between education or training, and forcing some to decide between the right pathway and an affordable one."
"This creates a real risk that decisions are driven by short-term affordability rather than what is right for a young person's long-term future."
"No young person should have to choose between their future and their family's ability to put food on the table."
Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are declining valuable apprenticeship opportunities due to a welfare penalty that can reduce family benefits by up to £340 weekly. Benefit rules classify 16-year-old apprentices as independent workers, leading to the withdrawal of parental child benefits. This situation forces families to choose between financial stability and the child's career development. Government advisers warn that outdated benefit rules distort career decisions, pushing young people towards full-time education instead of training. Campaigners advocate for changes to the benefit system to eliminate this penalty.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]