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Conservatives make benefits cuts election pledge Tories would tighten benefit cap to fund apprenticeships
(about 4 hours later)
Young people out of work for more than six months face losing access to jobseeker's allowance (JSA) if the Conservatives win the next election. The Conservatives would cap benefits further to fund three million apprenticeships if they win the general election, the prime minister has said.
They would have to undertake tasks such as cleaning local parks to continue receiving income support, George Osborne told the Mail on Sunday. David Cameron told the BBC's Andrew Marr show he wanted to "abolish" youth unemployment.
The move is among a number of welfare cut proposals being unveiled at the start of the Tory party conference. A Tory government would cut the maximum benefits a household can claim a year from £26,000 to £23,000, he said.
The savings will fund apprenticeships to tackle youth unemployment. Unemployed 18 to 21-year olds would be given six months to find work or training.
'Have to work' Their jobseeker's allowance (JSA) payments would be withdrawn unless they agreed to take take part in "community projects" such as cleaning up local parks.
The annual conference in Birmingham has been overshadowed by two resignations. 'Life of dependency'
Tory MP Mark Reckless quit the party on Saturday to join rivals UKIP, and minister Brooks Newmark resigned over allegations about his private life. They would be entitled to a "youth allowance", set at the same level as JSA - currently £57.35 for those aged 16-24 while carrying out the community work.
In the newspaper interview given before the two setbacks, Mr Osborne said a Conservative government would also reduce the maximum annual support a household can receive, from £26,000 to £23,000. Most unemployed 18 to 21-year-olds would also be prevented from claiming housing benefit in order to leave home under the Conservative proposals.
Under his proposals, unemployed 18-21 year olds would not be able to claim jobseeker's allowance, but would instead be entitled to a "youth allowance". Mr Cameron said the changes would pay for three million apprenticeships over the five-year lifetime of the next parliament.
It would be set at the same level as JSA - currently £57.35 for those aged 16-24. The Conservatives have already tried to reduce the benefits cap in government but have been blocked by their Liberal Democrat coalition partners.
After six months looking for work or training, to continue receiving the allowance they would have to take part in "community projects". The Lib Dems also blocked Conservative plans to scrap housing benefit for the under 25s.
"We are saying you will receive an allowance but if you can't find work after six months, you will have to work for the dole," Mr Osborne told the Mail on Sunday. Mr Cameron defended the proposed changes as the Conservative conference was getting under way in Birmingham.
Those young people would also be prevented from claiming housing benefit. "At heart, I want us to effectively abolish youth unemployment," he told the Marr programme.
"It is not acceptable for young people under the age of 21 to go straight from school on to benefits and into a home paid for through housing benefit - benefit funded by other people who are working," the chancellor added. "I want us to end the idea that aged 18 you can leave school, go and leave home, claim unemployment benefit and claim housing benefit.
Single parents and young people leaving care and other vulnerable groups would be exempt from the changes, the paper reported. "We shouldn't be offering that choice to young people; we should be saying, 'you should be earning or learning'."
A previous suggestion by the Conservatives that housing benefit would be scrapped for the under 25s was blocked by their Lib Dem coalition partners. Mr Cameron said the new rules would not apply to people with children, but was aimed at single young men and women so that they did not get trapped in "a life of dependency... that is no life at all".
According to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Osborne plans to use the money saved by the squeeze to fund three million apprenticeships. 'Too loose'
"Our mission is not just to save the pounds here and there, we're trying to change the welfare system so it doesn't trap people in poverty and a culture of dependency," he told the paper. He said the welfare cap had "worked very well", adding: "People said this would cause chaos, that people would have to move across the country, that it wouldn't work.
His proposals would only become reality if the Conservatives win next May's general election. "What has happened is a lot of those families have gone into work, have found a job and it's been a policy which has helped them with their lives.
In his party conference speech last week, Labour leader Ed Miliband said a "revolution" in apprenticeships was needed in the UK. "All the evidence is the cap is too loose, particularly in some parts of the country, so bringing it down to £23,000 saves money, will mean more families getting into work."
He said a Labour government would aim to boost apprenticeship take-up until it matched the number going to university. Labour leader Ed Miliband has promised a "jobs guarantee" for the young unemployed, to be paid for by a tax on bankers' bonuses if they win the election.
Under Labour's plan 18 to 24-year-olds out of work for a year will be offered a taxpayer-funded job for six months - with those who refuse losing benefits.
In his party conference speech last week, Mr Miliband said a Labour government would aim to boost apprenticeship take-up until it matched the number going to university.
Are you currently on benefits? Do these proposals concern you? Have you been trying to get an apprenticeship? You can email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukAre you currently on benefits? Do these proposals concern you? Have you been trying to get an apprenticeship? You can email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk