The government has announced plans to give up to £4,500 per year to parents on benefits whose children start apprenticeships, paid for from a £30m pot funded through the growth and skills levy. The move aims to address "perverse effects" of the benefits system that can discourage young people from taking on apprenticeships, with around few thousand households expected to benefit. According to government estimates, these families would otherwise lose between £17 and £330 per week in Universal Credit payments if their children start apprenticeships. Critics have questioned the funding for this new bursary, calling it "uncosted" and stating that it may be an unfunded announcement.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The UK government has announced plans to offer up to £4,500 a year to parents on benefits who encourage their children to start apprenticeships. This is part of a package aimed at supporting apprenticeships, including funding for training and additional support for employers. The bursary will replace lost Universal Credit payments and benefit an estimated few thousand households, which currently face losing between £17 and £330 per week if their children start apprenticeships. The payment is expected to be funded from a £30m pot, paid through the growth and skills levy, a tax on employers with annual wage bills over £3m. This move follows a report by the Social Security Advisory Committee, which warned of the "perverse effects" of the benefits system on young people's employment choices. For example, single parents with a disabled child could lose up to £340 per week in benefits if their child started an apprenticeship.
Written for “Financial Support for Apprenticeships” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's framing is generally neutral, but there are hints of sympathy towards the government's plan, such as quoting Pat McFadden's statement about 'making sure cost is not the reason someone misses out'. Additionally, the language used to describe opposition criticism from Helen Whately is somewhat dismissive ('uncosted' implies a lack of transparency rather than a legitimate concern), which suggests a slightly pro-government leaning.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score +0.45 for article 81 · logged 2026-07-30
- Published
Some parents on benefits will be given up to £4,500 a year to encourage their children to start apprenticeships, the government has said.
asserted
government → publish → apprenticeships
Under plans to encourage young people into work, families will be offered a bursary to replace Universal Credit payments lost by starting jobs.
asserted
families → encourage → jobs
The payment is expected to benefit an estimated few thousand households, who currently face losing between £17 and £330 a week if their children start apprenticeships.
asserted
children → expect → apprenticeships
The Conservatives welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham's support for apprenticeships, but criticised his plans to fund the bursaries.
asserted
Conservatives → welcome → bursaries
The bursary will be paid for from a £30m pot, funded through the growth and skills levy, a tax on employers with annual wage bills over £3m.
asserted
bursary → pay → 3
It followed the publication of a Social Security Advisory Committee report, external which warned of the "perverse effects" of the benefits system on young people's employment choices.
asserted
which → follow → choices
It said, for example, single parents with a disabled child could lose up to £340 per week in benefits if their child started an apprenticeship, exceeding the expected apprenticeship salary of £258 per week.
uncertain
child → say → week
Because they are classed as paid employment, benefit payments are reduced to households where young people take on apprenticeships.
asserted
people → class → apprenticeships
The committee said the system was hampering government efforts to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet).
asserted
system → say → education
In a recent report, former Health Secretary Alan Milburn warned that one in six young people could be Neet in the next five years unless urgent action is taken.
uncertain
action → warn → years
Official figures show more than a million people aged 16 to 24 are currently Neet.
asserted
people → show → ?
The government said its new bursary would remove a barrier to young people taking on apprenticeships, allowing them to "earn and learn".
asserted
them → say → apprenticeships
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: "By providing bursaries to those who need them most and fully funding apprenticeship training, we are making sure cost is not the reason someone misses out."
It is part of a wider package of support for apprenticeships, including funding for apprenticeship training for under-25s and additional support for employers taking on apprentices.
asserted
It → say → apprentices
Helen Whately, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: "I'm glad Burnham agrees: apprenticeships are a good thing, and we need more of them."
But she said the plan was "uncosted".
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plan → say → them
"It is spending money already committed elsewhere.
asserted
It → spend → money
Burnham has said he is "on a mission" to reduce the number of Neets.
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he → say → Neets
"The trend is rising at the moment, so the first thing I've got to do is to stop that rise," he said.
asserted
he → rise → rise
As he continues a flurry of early policy announcements, Burnham on Tuesday set out plans to strike a balance in the education system between prioritising academic and technical skills.
asserted
Burnham → continue → skills
