14 July 2026
by Rab Armour
Five week wait just one of the issues
Anti-poverty campaigners have backed calls from MPs for major reforms to Universal Credit.
A new parliamentary report has highlighted the barriers facing young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).
The findings, published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty and Inequality, come amid growing concern over rising youth disengagement. Last month, a review led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn warned that as many as one in six young people could be NEET within the next five years.
Following its inquiry into the structural causes behind youth inactivity, the APPG is urging ministers to scrap the lower Universal Credit rate paid to under-25s and abandon plans to prevent young people from accessing the health element of Universal Credit until they reach 22.
Campaigners say the recommendations reflect the experiences of young people struggling to navigate a social security system that is often failing them.
Research by The Poverty Alliance involving young parents and care-experienced young adults in Scotland found widespread concerns about Universal Credit, with participants describing a system that is confusing, inconsistent and inadequate for those trying to build independent lives.
Dr Laura Robertson, Research Manager at The Poverty Alliance, said the report echoed what young people have been saying for years.
“We welcome these recommendations from MPs. They recognise what young people have been telling us clearly – too many are being held back not by a lack of ambition, but by systems that do not give them the income, support or dignity they need,” she said.
“If government is serious about helping young people into suitable work, education and training, it must ensure the social security system provides a secure platform to build from. That means ending the lower rate of Universal Credit for under-25s, scrapping the five-week wait for new claims, improving the quality and consistency of work coach support, and ensuring every young person is treated with dignity and respect.”
The report highlights concerns about the way some young claimants are treated within the benefits system, particularly in their interactions with Jobcentre work coaches.
One young person told researchers they often felt judged because of their age.
“Some work coaches can be really rude and quite horrible to you about things, or the way they speak to you about things. Especially because I’m quite young,” they said.
Young parents also criticised what they saw as unnecessary Jobcentre appointments, saying face-to-face meetings often disrupted caring responsibilities despite issues being easily dealt with over the phone.
One parent said: “I go to the job centre for five minutes, then I have to leave and go back. They could phone me and say, ‘You still working? You still doing your work search?’ I don’t feel I have to be there, face to face every single two weeks when I’m a carer for my mum.”
The five-week wait for a first Universal Credit payment was also identified as a major source of hardship.
A care-experienced young adult described being left without support for months while waiting for payments to begin.
“It took me about seven to eight weeks just to be able to be put on Universal Credit, then I had to wait the additional five. For that amount of time, I had no money, no support. I had to rely on my college lunch as my one meal of the day.”
Campaigners argue the challenges are compounded by the lower Universal Credit rate for under-25s, who currently receive £86.32 less per month than older claimants.
Young parents told researchers they struggled to cover essentials such as food, clothing and footwear for growing children, while some said their payments fell far short of the costs associated with children's clubs and activities.
With MPs warning that youth disengagement is set to rise sharply, campaigners say reforming Universal Credit must be part of any serious attempt to improve opportunities for young people and prevent more from being pushed into poverty and insecurity.
Campaigners urge Universal Credit reform - TFN
The above information is from a Third Force News (TFN) Weekly Families & Young People roundup Thu 16/07/2026