Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sarah Bool and Alison McGovern

Monday 1st September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Bool (South Northamptonshire) (Con)]

10. What estimate she has made of the number of 16 to 24-year-olds receiving universal credit.

[The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)]

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.

[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.