Recommendation 19

We share the Minister’s concern about young people being trapped in economic inactivity before their working lives have even begun, but we do not see why this means they should lose entitlement to UC health. The Government’s changes to UC rates, along with many of the other changes in the Green Paper, are designed precisely to support the economically inactive back to work, no matter their age. In other words, the Government believes that in the reformed system those on UC health will no longer be forgotten about. If this is so, the Minister’s concern about young people being trapped on benefits early in life will have been addressed and there will be no need to deny them access to UC health. (Conclusion, Paragraph 137)