Burnham: cutting welfare costs needs upfront spending on young people ahead of Milburn review
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said in Friday interviews that reducing the number of young people on benefits will first require more spending on support for them, and did not rule out benefit cuts. He is awaiting Alan Milburn's review of young people not in education, employment or training.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Friday 6 November that reducing welfare costs will require the government to spend more in other areas first, and that he is awaiting a review on cutting the number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neets). Evening StandardN “Cutting the costs of welfare will require the Government to spend more in other areas, like education, Andy Burnham has suggested.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The GuardianLC “In a separate interview with the BBC, Burnham said he could not promise when the overall benefits bill would start to decrease, as there was a need to invest.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Centre · 1Asked on Times Radio how this squares with departments needing to cut budgets because of pledges to raise defence funding, Burnham said "It is going to be difficult. I'm not going to pretend otherwise, but we will reprioritise, and we will find funding to build our response to the Milburn review." Evening StandardN ““It is going to be difficult. I’m not going to pretend otherwise, but we will reprioritise, and we will find funding to build our response to the Milburn review,” the Prime Minister told Times Radio.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1He said savings would come in time, with a "crossover point", but that investment in young people is needed up front; asked whether the welfare bill would rise before falling, he said it would be investment in support for teenagers rather than the welfare bill. Evening StandardN ““Of course, in time, the savings will come, and there will be a crossover point, but there will be a need to invest up front in young people.”““It wouldn’t be the welfare bill. It would be the investment in the support that teenagers need and the guarantees that I want to put in place for them.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 1Burnham said he would like all young people who want one to have a guarantee of a 45-day work placement between the ages of 16 and 18, extending placements currently linked to T-levels. Evening StandardN “I would like young people to have, in this country, a guarantee of a 45-day work placement between 16 and 18.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Left · 1In a separate BBC interview he said "What will have to go up first is the spending on support for young people", that some money may have to be reprioritised, and that the overall bill would fall in time; asked whether that would happen in this parliament, he said "as soon as possible". The GuardianLC ““What will have to go up first is the spending on support for young people,” he said, noting this may mean having to “reprioritise” some money.”“if it could be this parliament – as soon as possible is the thing I would say to you.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1The Guardian reports Burnham said the government is aiming for "quite radical change" in how young people are supported, described his mission as "rethinking childhood" from the early years, and did not rule out benefit cuts, saying he is "prepared to take difficult decisions" because he cannot accept a million or more young people in their 20s being on benefits. The GuardianLC “The government is aiming for “quite radical change” in the way young people are supported, Andy Burnham has said”““I am prepared to take difficult decisions because I can’t accept the idea that we have a million or more young people in their 20s on benefits.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Left · 1Alan Milburn's review, due this month, is expected to recommend limiting access to some benefits for people who refuse to engage; its first part, published in May, said about one in eight young people, or 1 million, were not working or in training, blaming largely structural factors including inequality, the modern labour market and mental health. The GuardianLC “is expected to recommend moves to limit access to some benefits for people who refuse to engage.”“said about one in eight young people – 1 million – were not working or in training.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Centre · 1Ministers are expected to set out responses to the Milburn review and to the Timms review of disability benefits reform in the coming weeks, as the government tries to control a welfare bill the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts will reach £431 billion by 2031-32, largely driven by health-related and pensioner benefits. Evening StandardN “Ministers are expected to lay out their response to the Timms review, into disability benefits reform, and the Milburn review on getting more Neets into work in the coming weeks.”“The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts it will rise to £431 billion by the 2031-32 financial year, largely driven by health-related and pensioner benefits.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Guardian leads on Burnham's ambition for "quite radical change" and a rethink of childhood, with the possibility of benefit cuts for those who refuse to engage.
- Emphasis
- Early-years and mental health support, the structural causes of youth worklessness, and tougher benefit rules.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the OBR's £431 billion welfare forecast or the defence-spending budget pressure, or the 45-day work placement pledge.
- Charged language
- “quite radical change”“root and branch review of childhood”
- For example
-
“Burnham aims for ‘quite radical change’ in support for young people” — The Guardian
“It’s got to be a root and branch review of childhood and how we support young people on their way in life.” — The Guardian
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- The Evening Standard leads on the fiscal tension: cutting welfare costs needs more spending first, against departmental budget cuts and rising defence funding.
- Emphasis
- Budget trade-offs, the 45-day work placement guarantee and the OBR's £431 billion welfare forecast.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report Burnham's remarks on not ruling out benefit cuts, the "rethinking childhood" theme, or what Milburn's review is expected to recommend on benefit limits.
- Charged language
- “claims”
- For example
-
“The Government is grappling with how to keep the ballooning welfare bill under control.” — Evening Standard
“Cutting welfare costs will need higher spending elsewhere, Burnham claims” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Burnham said more must be spent on support for young people before welfare costs fall.
- He said money would be reprioritised and savings would come in time.
- The Milburn review on young people not in education, employment or training is due shortly.
Andy Burnham person
Burnham presents upfront spending on young people as an investment that will eventually cut the benefits bill, says funding will be found by reprioritising, and says he is prepared to take difficult decisions on benefits.
“But it’s an investment in society. It’s the right investment to make.” — Evening Standard
“I am prepared to take difficult decisions” — The Guardian
Left1 article
-
Burnham aims for ‘quite radical change’ in support for young people
Neutral Focuses on the scale of intended reform and the possibility of tougher benefit rules alongside more support.
Centre1 article
-
Cutting welfare costs will need higher spending elsewhere, Burnham claims
Neutral Reports the fiscal trade-off of investing up front, with budget context, though the headline verb "claims" adds slight scepticism.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 6 Nov 13:46 First Evening StandardN Cutting welfare costs will need higher spending elsewhere, Burnham claims
- 6 Nov 16:50 +3h 4m The GuardianLC Burnham aims for ‘quite radical change’ in support for young people
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…