Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Universal Credit: 16 to 24-year-olds

Monday 1 September 2025 · 1 question

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Sarah Bool raised concerns about a significant increase in the claimant count for 16 to 24-year-olds in her constituency.
  • The Minister noted that the Conservative party originally introduced universal credit, merging out-of-work and in-work benefits.
  • The Government guarantees support for young people out of work and on universal credit, according to the Minister.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Bool Con South Northamptonshire
Context

The MP referenced a Library report indicating a significant rise in the claimant count among young people aged 16 to 24 in her constituency, which had risen by 46%, one of the largest increases in the country.

Question

According to the Library, in my constituency, the claimant count among those aged 16 to 24 has risen by 46%; that is one of the largest percentage increases in the country. Conservative Members know that the Government have a moral duty not to let our young people learn that a life of benefits is the life for them, so how does the Minister explain that increase? What will she do?

Answer from The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)

I must remind Conservative Members again that it was their party that introduced universal credit, removing the distinction between out-of-work benefits and in-work benefits. For three quarters of young people who are out of work and on universal credit, our guarantee for young people will make sure that they get a second chance in life, after they were utterly failed during the pandemic by the Conservative party.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide specific details or action plans to address the significant rise in claimant count among 16-24 year olds.

How: Reminding Of Previous Actions By The Opposition

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