SIR – The Government will leave young people out in the cold if they go ahead with plans to axe housing benefit for the under 25s.
Barnardo’s is raising concerns that the plan will have potentially devastating effects on some of the most vulnerable in society, including children leaving the care system aged just 18.
In stark contrast to these young people who do not have a family to fall back on, a YouGov survey on behalf of Barnardo’s found that more than a third of UK parents expect to provide their children with some sort of financial support for the rest of their lives.
The prospects for young people starting out in the world today are already bleak with nearly one million unemployed. For young people leaving care, moving into their own home for the first time is a key moment when they sink or swim. More than 80 per cent of care-leavers aged just 19 are already responsible for their own rent, often relying on housing benefit. This is in contrast with the 79 per cent of parents who expect to still be financially supporting their 19-year-old children.
The Government’s presumption all young people have parents to help them risks leaving the most vulnerable without a home.
Barnardo’s is calling for members of the public to join its campaign and lobby Government to withdraw these proposals.
Steve Oversby, director, Barnardo’s Yorkshire
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