PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
Universal Credit: 16 to 24-year-olds - 1 September 2025 (Commons/Commons Chamber)
Debate Detail
Contributions from Alison McGovern, are highlighted with a yellow border.
Sarah Bool
South Northamptonshire
Alison McGovern
The Minister for Employment
The latest provisional statistics, taken from Stat-Xplore, show that in July 2025, there were 768,000 people aged 16 to 24 on universal credit. About a quarter of those young people—around 180,000—are on universal credit and in work.
14:59:24
Sarah Bool
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?
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.
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