Some parents on benefits to get up to £4,500 if children take on apprenticeships
The UK government plans to offer up to £4,500 a year to parents on benefits to encourage their children to start apprenticeships. This move aims to remove a barrier to young people taking on apprenticeships, allowing them to 'earn and learn'.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
The UK government will provide a bursary to parents on benefits to support their children in taking on apprenticeships. This move aims to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment, or training (Neet).
The UK government wants to help parents on benefits who have children who want to start apprenticeships. They will give these parents up to £4,500 a year to help their children learn a trade and earn money at the same time.
Analysis
A £4,500 Bursary to End a Barrier to Apprenticeships
The UK government has announced plans to offer up to £4,500 a year to parents on benefits to encourage their children to start apprenticeships. This move aims to remove a barrier to young people taking on apprenticeships, allowing them to 'earn and learn'. The bursary will be paid for from a £30m pot, funded through the growth and skills levy, a tax on employers with annual wage bills over £3m.
The payment is expected to benefit an estimated few thousand households, who currently face losing between £17 and £330 a week depending on individual circumstances. The government's move is part of a wider package of support for apprenticeships, including funding for apprenticeship training for under-25s and additional support for employers taking on apprentices.
Why the Current System is a Barrier to Apprenticeships
The current system is hampering government efforts to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment, or training (Neet). Single parents with a disabled child could lose up to £340 per week in benefits if their child started an apprenticeship, exceeding the expected apprenticeship salary of £258 per week. Because they are classed as paid employment, benefit payments are reduced to households where young people take on apprenticeships.
The Government's New Bursary: A Step in the Right Direction
The government's new bursary will provide financial support to parents on benefits, encouraging their children to take on apprenticeships and 'earn and learn'. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: 'By providing bursaries to those who need them most and fully funding apprenticeship training, we are making sure cost is not the reason someone misses out.' The government's move is a step in the right direction, addressing the issue of young people not in education, employment, or training (Neet).
Key points
- The UK government will offer up to £4,500 a year to parents on benefits to encourage their children to start apprenticeships.
- The bursary will be paid for from a £30m pot, funded through the growth and skills levy.
- The payment is expected to benefit an estimated few thousand households.
- The government's move is part of a wider package of support for apprenticeships.
- The bursary will provide financial support to parents on benefits, encouraging their children to take on apprenticeships and 'earn and learn'.
If this policy change is successful, it could lead to more young people taking on apprenticeships and reducing the number of Neets. This, in turn, could lead to a more skilled workforce and a more competitive economy.
However, there are concerns that the bursary may not be enough to cover the costs of living for some families. This could lead to a situation where families are still struggling to make ends meet, even with the bursary.
