Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of aligning the rate of Universal Credit for 16 to 24 year-olds receive with that of claimants aged over 25.

This Government is committed to ensuring that every young person has the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential and succeed in work.

The lower rate of the Universal Credit standard allowance for customers under 25 is designed to maintain the incentive for young people to enter, remain in and progress in work, complemented by the employment support we provide to help young people develop their skills and build successful careers. The lower rate also reflects that the majority of young people live in someone else’s household and are therefore likely to have lower living costs.

Where young people do live independently or have extra living costs, Universal Credit provides additional support for eligible customers, including help with the cost of housing, children, childcare, disability-related needs, and caring responsibilities.