英国工作与养老金大臣帕特·麦克法登宣布推出新的补助金政策，以支持参加学徒制的青少年家庭。[1]根据该政策，可能因参加学徒制而失去每周约80英镑通用信用儿童补助的家庭将获得约4500英镑的补助金，补偿因学徒薪资低于原有福利而造成的收入差距。[1]这笔补助金预算共计3000万英镑，由现有部门预算划拨。[1]
该政策针对单亲家庭或18岁以下残疾青少年。[1]麦克法登表示："我们有义务提供良好的支持。随之而来的是人们应该参与这种支持。"[1]这一举措是伯纳姆政府应对青年失业危机的第二项重要行动。伯纳姆周一表示希望改变福利支持的性质，使部分福利"以人们抓住机遇为条件"。[1]此外，社会保障大臣斯蒂芬·蒂姆斯的第二阶段报告和阿兰·米尔本关于青年失业和教育培训参与的第二份审查报告均将在秋季提交。[1]
Britain's Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden has unveiled a new subsidy scheme aimed at addressing the loss of household benefits when young people enter apprenticeships.[1] The government will distribute approximately £30 million in grants to compensate families whose income falls as a result of apprentice wages falling below the universal credit child allowance they would otherwise receive.[1] The individual grant amount stands at around £4,500 and targets families at risk of losing approximately £80 per week in universal credit payments.[1]
The policy specifically focuses on support for single-parent households and disabled young people under 18 entering apprenticeships.[1] McFadden emphasized the government's dual approach to the initiative, stating: "We have an obligation to put good support in place. And then there is an expectation that people engage with the support."[1] This marks the second significant policy announcement from the Burnham government addressing youth unemployment, following recent statements by Andy Burnham indicating a desire to restructure benefit support by making certain payments conditional on recipients taking up available opportunities.[1] Further policy developments are anticipated as Stephen Timms, the Secretary of State for Social Security, is expected to submit the second phase of his review in autumn, with a separate review by Alan Milburn on youth unemployment and training participation also due in the same period.[1]