UK Universities Advise Graduates to Apply for Benefits Amid Job Market Crisis
Leading institutions are guiding students to claim universal credit from the day their courses end, even if they have job prospects or are living at home, as youth unemployment reaches a decade high.
Several major UK universities are advising their students to apply for government benefits as soon as their courses conclude, a move critics suggest fast-tracks young people toward reliance on handouts. The guidance from institutions like King's College London (KCL), Loughborough University, and the University of Stirling recommends applying for universal credit and jobseeker's allowance even for students living with parents or who have jobs lined up shortly after graduation.
At KCL, advice suggests students "shouldn't feel bad" about claiming benefits as a transition tool from study to work, emphasizing it as a safety net. Loughborough University's guidance indicates that graduates may be eligible to apply for universal credit from the day after their course ends, advising that applications can be started a week or two prior to completion to avoid delays. Similarly, the University of Stirling's advice states that claims can be made from the day after the official course end date, particularly while seeking employment or awaiting further study.
This advice comes as the UK faces its worst youth employment crisis in decades. In July, there were only 8,383 graduate job vacancies, a 45% decrease from the previous year and fewer than during the May 2020 COVID-19 lockdown period. Official figures show that unemployment among 16-to-24-year-olds rose to 16.4% in the three months to July, the highest level in over ten years.
In response to the youth unemployment crisis, Andy Burnham has introduced a new government program, the Jobs Guarantee scheme. This initiative aims to offer a direct route into work for 18-to-24-year-olds who have been out of work and on universal credit for at least 18 months. The program will fund up to 25 hours of paid work per week for six months, matched to individual skillsets, with the goal of supporting over 90,000 young people in the next three years. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden stated that the scheme is designed to provide "real jobs, proper wages, and a genuine route into a career" for the next generation.
The Daily Mail has reached out to KCL, Loughborough University, and the University of Stirling for comment.