Responding to the announcement today (Monday) of the initial measures of the government’s “Earn to Learn Taskforce”, which includes the scrapping of Housing Benefit for young people under-21 years old, a spokesperson from Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign said: “This is another punitive turn by this Conservative government that is failing young people. They have cut further education places, driven a punitive welfare regime that has failed to reduce youth unemployment, and are raising university fees and taking away grants.

“As it takes away opportunities for young people to earn or learn, this government is blaming young people rather than addressing the real problems. It proposes more free labour from the young with fewer rights, and will be resisted by young people and Labour MPs.

“At a time when the government has cut thousands of jobs in the DWP, it is also unclear how this new scheme is even deliverable – especially when the department is struggling to implement Universal Credit. People deserve better than this shambolic government.”