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David Cameron: Unemployed young 'should do community work' | David Cameron: Unemployed young 'should do community work' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Young people out of work, education or training for six months will have to do unpaid community work to get benefits if the Conservatives win the election. | |
David Cameron said about 50,000 18 to 21-year-olds would be required to do daily work experience from day one of their claim, alongside job searching. | |
The welfare shake-up would make sure young people "don't get sucked into a life on welfare", he said in a speech. | |
Labour said it would do "nothing" to get youngsters into "real jobs". | |
The opposition has pledged a compulsory jobs guarantee for the young unemployed, paid for by a tax on bankers' bonuses. | |
The Conservatives are focusing on welfare reforms this week as they draw up battle lines before May's general election. | |
Their proposed community work programme will cost about £20m to deliver, paid for by "initial savings" from the delivery of universal credit. | |
'Order and discipline' | 'Order and discipline' |
Those aged between 18 and 21 who have not been in employment, education or training, known as "Neets", for six months would no longer receive jobseeker's allowance (JSA). | |
Instead, they would be paid the youth allowance, paid at the same rate as JSA - £57.35 a week. | |
However, to receive it they would be required to carry out 30 hours a week of mandatory community work from the first day of claiming benefits. | |
This could involve making meals for older people or working for local charities, alongside 10 hours of job hunting. | This could involve making meals for older people or working for local charities, alongside 10 hours of job hunting. |
Analysis, by Political Correspondent Ross Hawkins | Analysis, by Political Correspondent Ross Hawkins |
The Conservatives insist unemployed young people must work for their benefits. | |
Labour has promised the same people a guaranteed job. | Labour has promised the same people a guaranteed job. |
The tone is very different. | The tone is very different. |
But refuse to work under either party - whether it's the Tories' community programme or Labour's jobs guarantee - and you will lose money. | But refuse to work under either party - whether it's the Tories' community programme or Labour's jobs guarantee - and you will lose money. |
The Conservatives would make more cuts: lowering the benefit cap, stopping many 18 to 21-year-olds claiming housing benefit and even considering docking money from obese or addicted claimants who refuse treatment. | |
Labour points out that its policy provides paid employment, not an obligation to community work. | |
But both parties would want you to hear them caring deeply about the fate of young unemployed people, while making sure no one gets something for nothing. | But both parties would want you to hear them caring deeply about the fate of young unemployed people, while making sure no one gets something for nothing. |
The policy, announced by the prime minister during a speech in Hove, East Sussex, forms part of the Conservatives' plans to eradicate long-term youth unemployment. | |
"That well-worn path - from the school gate, down to the jobcentre, and on to a life on benefits - has got to be rubbed away," Mr Cameron said. | |
He added: "What these young people need is work experience and the order and discipline of turning up for work each day. | He added: "What these young people need is work experience and the order and discipline of turning up for work each day. |
"From day one they must play their part and make an effort. That could mean making meals for older people, cleaning up litter and graffiti, or working for local charities. | |
"Your first experience of the benefits system should be that yes, you can get help - but it isn't something for nothing, and you need to put something back into your community too." | "Your first experience of the benefits system should be that yes, you can get help - but it isn't something for nothing, and you need to put something back into your community too." |
The party has also pledged to cap benefits further - at £23,000 - to fund three million apprenticeships if it wins the general election in May. | |
Also under Tory plans, people who cannot work because they are obese or have alcohol or drug problems could have their sickness benefits cut if they refuse treatment. | |
'Properly paid' | |
Criticising the policy announcement, Labour's shadow work and pensions minister Stephen Timms said: "The proposal the prime minister has made today will do absolutely nothing to get young people into real jobs." | |
He said the government had piloted a scheme in London two years ago, but the official assessment found "no significant impact" on employment outcomes. | |
Labour, he said, offered better prospects for youngsters out of work, by guaranteeing a six-month job for unemployed youngsters, who would be "properly paid". | |
The opposition policy would be paid for by a bankers' bonus tax. If people did not take up the offer of the job they would lose their benefits. | |
Ed Miliband, the party leader, has also pledged that young unemployed people who refuse to take training courses to gain key skills could lose benefits under a Labour government. | |
His party would also guarantee apprenticeships for every school-leaver in England who "gets the grades" by 2020. | |
A Liberal Democrat spokesman criticised the Conservatives' proposals as "all stick, no carrot", saying they were designed to "punish" rather than to help people into work. | |
Are you young and out of work? Should unemployed youngsters be made to do unpaid community work to get their benefits? | |
Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | |
Please include a telephone number if you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | |
Have your say |