Report by NCVYS shows scale of cuts facing young people

NCVYS have today published an update to the report ‘Comprehensive Cuts’ which identifies the scale of cuts facing young people in England.

The original report has now been fully updated to include all the policy developments and funding changes facing the sector since the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2010.

The report demonstrates the totality of cuts facing young people including the removal of educational maintenance allowances, the imposition of the significant cuts to employment benefit and the abandonment of the future jobs fund.

Commenting on the report, NCVYS Chief Executive Susanne Rauprich said:

By failing to take a comprehensive view of the cumulative impact that the cuts agenda places on young people we are risking unintended consequences that could in the long term prevent a large number of young people, and in particular those that are already disadvantaged, from realising their true potential.  No doubt, many young people will be left behind.

For example, whilst the localism agenda undoubtedly brings opportunities for communities, the loss of the ring fence around Local Authority grants has led to a reduction of youth services. This is the only service designed to facilitate young people's community action or helps them to develop the confidence and skills that they need to play an active part locally.

Scrapping Education Maintenance Allowances, imposing significant cuts to employment benefit and abandoning the Future Jobs Fund all hits the same group of young people. Members of our network like Centrepoint are already reporting extreme concern from young people facing the imposition of cuts to housing benefits which will add to the burden of trying to find work in an unforgiving economic climate.

NCVYS campaigned for a Youth Impact Assessment prior to the election.  This was our move to ensure all emerging policy supported young people’s futures.  Whilst we were successful in securing support from the Liberal Democrats on this, we found young people dropping down the priority list as the Coalition Agreement emerged.  We are now working towards a cross-departmental Youth Summit to gather key ministers together in order to formulate a cohesive approach to young people’s issues across departments. Our update to Comprehensive Cuts truly highlights how important this approach is, if decisions from the centre are to serve those that need it most – our young people.

Read the report here: Comprehensive Cuts – Part 2: Tracking funding and policies and their impact on young people (December 2010)

For media enquiries about this report, please contact our Press Officer Ross Bailey on ross@ncvys.org.uk