British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government will set out its response next week to a review of youth employment, leaving open whether it will adopt proposals that could change support for under-25s.
The review, led by former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn, focuses on people ages 16 to 24 who are outside education, work or training, The Independent reported. The report's details are expected next week.
The Independent reported that Milburn is expected to recommend ending under-25s' eligibility for the health element of Universal Credit (UC). It also reported a proposal to end their eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a separate benefit. Under the proposal, affected young people would instead receive a youth allowance at UC's standard rate. The review is also expected to call for billions of pounds in career support.
Milburn told The Times that the proposals would need substantial initial funding, while savings might not appear for a decade. The plan would change both income support and employment services for young people.
In Dublin, Burnham told reporters he could not promise full acceptance before seeing the report. He said the government was considering shifting current spending rather than increasing it, pointing to young people's difficulty accessing mental health support and the need to give technical education equal standing with academic study. He argued for getting help to young people earlier, before they rely on benefits in their 20s.
The Independent reported that some Labour MPs are concerned about the level of future support. Lawmakers pressed Keir Starmer's government last year to scale back proposed welfare cuts, the outlet reported.
Burnham said the government would respond after the review is published next week.
