Badenoch Proposes Replacing Universal Credit for Under-25s With Work-Linked Allowance
On Oct. 1, 2026, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch proposed ending access to Universal Credit for many jobless people under 25. The Guardian
Universal Credit is the UK's main benefit for people on low income or out of work. Under this plan, affected claimants would leave that benefit and move to a new Get to Work Allowance. Help and job requirements would start at the point of claim. The Guardian
Eligibility would depend on work history. The rules would cover people under 25 who have not had six months of continuous employment or work. The Telegraph The plan would apply only to people judged able to work. It would not cover disability benefits. The Guardian
Each claimant would be given a personal Get to Work Manager to direct the move into work. Support would start right away, with no waiting period. Payment would depend on completing set work tasks each week. Checks would be weekly. Missing tasks would put payment at risk.
Those tasks are wide-ranging. They include daily job centre attendance, work experience placements, training or work-readiness courses, community work schemes, job-search workshops, interview preparation, and group sessions on communication, teamwork and behaviours. The Guardian
Those who complete the programme would receive a 'Ready for Work' Award showing the skills they demonstrated. The form of assessment, how employers would view the award, and which body would approve it were not specified in the release as reported.
After six months on Get to Work without finding work, claimants would move to a Subsistence Allowance worth 70% of their earlier claim. The Guardian
The BBC reported on Sept. 30 that the Get to Work Allowance would be paid at the same rate as Universal Credit. BBC The Conservative release on Oct. 1 did not give a payment figure or an estimate of costs or savings. The Guardian
The broader context here is practical, not only about benefit levels. A system of named managers, immediate start and weekly checks needs enough staff, clear rules on what counts as completion, and a way to track attendance across placements and courses. For staff on the ground, the question would be whether weekly rules can be applied evenly without long queues at job centres or disputes over sanctions, meaning cuts to benefits for not meeting rules.
In my view, the plan combines two familiar tools. The first is early action, with help and obligation starting together. The second is full pay for a limited time, then lower pay. How workable that pairing is will depend on questions left open in the release: delivery cost, how much weight the award carries with employers, and how decisions about who is able to work are made in practice.
