Welfare reforms working

Anne Tolley announced:

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the number of young requiring a benefit has almost halved since 2009, meaning better lives for these families and fewer long-term beneficiaries.

Figures show that there were 48 per cent fewer teen mums on main benefits at the end of 2014 compared to 2009.

A 48% reduction in teen mums on the benefit is huge in just five years.

Teen parents spend an average 19 years on a benefit, and have some of the highest lifetime costs of any group on welfare.

So what has made the difference:

“Through our major investment in Youth Services we are enabling these young people to take part in education and training to give them the tools they need to get into .

“Alongside we have increased their access to budgeting and courses and childcare. 

I think the new work testing regime has also had an impact – especially the requirement that if you have further on the benefit, you only have work testing obligations suspended for a year.

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