Charities urge Government to give disabled young people support and opportunities, not sanctions
- A new letter from CEOs at some of the UK’s largest charities calls on the government to prioritise improved support, not financial sanctions, in welfare reforms expected later this year.
- It warns more cuts or the threat of sanctions for under-25s receiving the Universal Credit health element risks worsening health outcomes and deepening poverty for thousands of disabled young people, damaging their ability to work or study.
- The letter, coordinated by Action for Children, includes signatures from Scope, Contact, Mind, Trussell, Shelter, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy UK, Guide Dogs, Carers Trust, Save the Children, Sense and around 30 others.
Over 40 leading charities have today (19 August) published a letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and government advisor Alan Milburn calling on the UK Government to reject benefit cuts and harsher conditions for disabled young people during benefit changes expected later this year.
The letter, coordinated by Action for Children, shares the Government’s ambition to tackle the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) and ensure more disabled young people can access support and opportunities.
Yet charities warn increasing sanctions or cutting benefits for under-25s receiving the Universal Credit (UC) health element risks worsening their health and deepening poverty for thousands of disabled young people, and their families.
The organisations say evidence suggests punitive and poorly targeted approaches are ineffective and could instead push young people further from education and employment.
In March last year the UK Government’s Pathways to Work Green Paper proposed removing the health element for all under 22-year-olds.
Analysis by charity Scope shows that an estimated half of households with a young person under 22-years-old claiming the UC health element are already in poverty. The charities warn this would rise to more than nine in ten if the payment was stopped to those currently receiving it, almost doubling the poverty rate for this group. (1)
In 2023/24 the UK government spent £293 million on the UC health element for under‑22s (Great Britain only) equal to only 5% of total spending on the UC health element and 0.3% of total working‑age social security spending. (2)
There are 184,000 young people aged 16-24 receiving the Universal Credit health element across the UK. This represents only 6% of all recipients of the UC health element, and around 2.4% of all 16–24‑year‑olds. (3)
The health element of UC has already been cut by 50% to £217 a month for most new claimants from April 2027. It provides extra financial support for people assessed as having significant health conditions or disabilities that limit their ability to work.
The letter comes ahead of the expected final report of the flagship Milburn Review into Young People and Work.
While the new Prime Minister appears to have ruled out “crude cuts”, the policy direction seems focused on imposing tougher conditions on disabled young people to access benefits, such as mandatory attendance at the jobcentre, backed by the threat of sanctions.
Ministers are understood to be examining approaches used in other countries, including the Netherlands. However, the charities warn that stronger expectations on disabled young people in these systems are accompanied by much greater investment in employment support, vocational rehabilitation and subsidised jobs, and that the Netherlands is itself moving away from stricter approaches.
The group of charities welcomes the Government's ambition to reduce the number of young people not in education or employment and agrees too many disabled young people are being left without the support they need to thrive. They argue that the real choice facing ministers is not whether change is needed, but which changes will deliver the best outcomes for disabled young people.
The organisations - many of which work directly with some of the UK’s most disadvantaged young people facing complex barriers to participation - are calling for better, earlier support and genuine pathways into employment, including:
- Dedicated employment advisers with disability, neurodiversity and mental health expertise
- More funding for Mayors and local authorities to deliver proven support programmes
- Earlier intervention for those at risk of being NEET and improved mental health support
- Stronger protections for disabled young people to try work without fear of losing benefits
- An expanded Youth Guarantee to provide meaningful subsidised opportunities for work, training and other forms of social participation, like volunteering.
Commenting on the letter and calls on the Government, Lucy Schonegevel, Director of Influencing at Action for Children, said:
“We fully share the Government's view that too many young people are being left without the support they need. Yet cutting benefits or ramping up sanctions will simply drive-up poverty and push young people further away from work.
"Every day, we support young people with some of the most complex barriers to overcome challenges, build confidence and grow their aspirations. Many have experienced trauma, instability, homelessness and poverty alongside ongoing health challenges.
“If ministers want better outcomes for disabled young people, the evidence points to earlier intervention, tailored support and genuinely meaningful job and volunteering opportunities, not sanctions or cuts."
SUPPORTING QUOTES:
Anna Bird, Chief Executive at disability charity Contact, said:
“The families we support are deeply worried that the government is considering scrapping the health element for disabled young people aged 16-21 – over 2,500 have contacted their MP to raise their concerns.
“Contact’s helpline speaks to large numbers of families with disabled young people getting the Universal Credit health element while participating in education, life-skills programmes or supported work; others have disabilities so significant that paid employment may never be realistic.
“The intended purpose of these proposals is to target those not in education, employment or training (NEET), and yet many disabled young people in education and supported work are caught up in this policy and could face a devastating drop in income of £630 per month.
“Families already face a financial cliff edge as their disabled child reaches adulthood, despite their care needs and extra costs continuing. Cutting their income won’t create opportunities. Government should tackle the barriers that reduce participation – gaps in education, transport and employment support – rather than taking financial security away.”
James Taylor, Director of Strategy, Influencing and Social Change at disability equality charity Scope, said:
“Young disabled people have been failed for too long, with too many left living on a financial knife edge.
“Any cuts to the health element of Universal Credit will only push more young disabled people into poverty, not jobs. It won’t remove the barriers they face getting into and staying in work, such inaccessible recruitment, negative attitudes, or a lack of tailored support.
“Alan Milburn’s review could be a real turning point. But the Government must listen to young disabled people, rule out cuts and sanctions, and invest in the long term, personalised support they need to build the futures they deserve.”
Andrew Fletcher, Chief Executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK, said:
"We are deeply concerned about proposals to restrict access to the health element of Universal Credit for disabled people aged under 22. Young people living with muscle wasting conditions and their families are already telling us they feel increasingly worried about their financial security. For those receiving the health element, this loss of income could be devastating.
“While many young people with muscle wasting conditions are in education, employment or training, the complex and often fluctuating nature of these conditions can make this impossible. Some people may become unwell and need extended periods out of work or training. For others, paid employment will never be an option. For these people, the health element is a vital lifeline, helping to cover the significant additional day-to-day costs our community already face to cover things like tailored support and equipment.
“Government efforts should focus on giving better, dedicated support to the many young disabled people who can and want to work, rather than removing vital financial support from those who cannot."
Shelley Hopkinson, Head of Policy and Influencing at Turn2us says:
"Trust in the social security system is low, particularly amongst those in receipt of health and disability support and subjecting more young people to tick-box exercises or punitive sanctions will not support them into work.
Personalised, voluntary support to access meaningful work opportunities should be developed with young disabled people, centring their lived experience as the key to building trust, financial security and opportunity."
Campaign call to action:
Too many young people are being let down by systems that intervene too late and offer too little.
We know change is needed, but the government needs your help to make the right choices. Ask your MP to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to offer their help to support disabled young people.
The signatory organisations are urging ministers to work directly with disabled young people and organisations with frontline expertise when developing reforms.
The charities say they stand ready to work alongside Government to deliver reforms that improve life chances for disabled young people and create a fairer, more effective social security system.
The full letter can be found at: https://bit.ly/4x6alOp
