Foyer victory as Gordon Brown announces the 16 Hour Rule 'must be reformed'
The Foyer Federation has today welcomed Gordon Brown’s announcement that the Government will reform the 16 Hour Rule.
This comes after a 5 year campaign run by the Foyer Federation on behalf of the 10,000 young people that Foyers across the UK provide housing, education and support for every year.
In a report published by the Department for Work and Pensions today Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said that “because we recognise the particular challenges faced by some vulnerable groups who require Housing Benefit whilst undertaking necessary full-time training, we will consider whether it might be practicable to define limited exemptions from the '16 hour rule' for specific groups - such as young people living in supported accommodation.”
Foyer’s Chief Executive, Jane Slowey, said: “Too many Foyer residents have been forced to choose between their home and their education as a result of benefit regulations. After a long campaign, involving many young people affected by the 16 Hour Rule, I am delighted that Government has recognised that homeless young people need extra support to build themselves a future.”
Michael Shillingford, former resident at Karibu Foyer in Nottingham, said: “I am truly delighted that the Government seems to have taken to heart what myself and other young people have been campaigning on. The 16 hour rule almost forced me to give up my aspiration of going to university. Reforms to this rule will take away a lot of unnecessary stress and difficulties encountered by people trying to make the most of themselves.”
The 16 Hour Rule prevents young people aged over 19 and studying full time from claiming housing benefit - forcing them to choose between their home and their education.
Notes to editors
- Foyer is calling for the abolition of the 16 Hour Housing Benefit Rule which prevents young people aged over 19 and studying full time from claiming housing benefit - forcing them to choose between their home or their education. For more information, please visit www.giveusachance.net or see this Education Guardian piece from January 2006: http://education.guardian.co.uk/further/story/0,5500,1682652,00.html.
- For more information about the Department for Work and Pensions report, Opportunity, Employment and Progression: making skills work, please go to: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/aboutus/news/#oep
- Since launching in 1992, the UK Foyer network has grown to over 130 local Foyers supporting more than 10,000 homeless 16 to 25 year-olds each year, giving them a chance to realise their full potential. They enable young people at risk to escape the ‘no home-no job-no home’ cycle by delivering a holistic service that integrates accommodation with training, job search, personal support and motivation. For more information about Foyers, please visit www.foyer.net
- For interviews, photographs or more information, please contact Sophie Livingstone on 020 7430 2212/07967 104695 or Sophie@foyer.net
