Young benefit claimants face employment boot camps under Tory plans

Young people would be forced to go to ’employment boot camps’ under plans revealed by the Conservative Party yesterday.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling told delegates at a Centre for Policy Studies event that the Tories would get tough on young benefit claimants.

“We plan to introduce much tougher rules for young people under the age of 21 claiming JobSeekers’ Allowance,” he said.

“For this group, the welfare-to-work process will start much earlier. There’ll be employment boot camps and community work programmes for those who don’t find a job. Staying at home doing nothing will be a thing of the past.”

Unemployed youngsters who didn’t find a job within three months would be automatically referred to a specialist employment provider, and expected to take part in an intensive programme with them, Grayling added.

“If they spend 12 months out of work, they will then be moved onto a full-time community work programme lasting a further year.

“If they drop out of work again there will be even tougher limits on the amount of time they can spend at home on benefits. Indeed, many will be referred straight back onto a structured return-to-work programme or a community work programme. Doing nothing will not be an option.”