Milburn review to recommend reducing certain benefits for under-25s

A year-long report led by Alan Milburn recommends that people under 25 should no longer be able to claim the health element of universal credit or personal independence payments, which could mean lower financial support initially for some claimants. Instead, the proposals suggest providing a basic allowance alongside a major investment in employment support, work placements, and one-to-one personal advisers to help tackle the high number of young people not in education, employment or training. The radical overhaul aims to address a system that critics say traps young people in poverty, though the proposals include strict conditions where claimants could lose benefits if they fail to engage with extra work support. While the government plans to take the recommendations into legislation in the new year, the changes could face political opposition from Labour MPs and require significant initial investment before achieving long-term savings.