Government policy towards 16‐ and 17‐year‐olds is changing rapidly. According to the author, nearly 90,000 are not in education, employment or training, while over 100,000 do not have an NVQ level two qualification and are not studying towards one. This book is a guide to young people’s benefit rights and their access to training. It explains the latest rules and procedures behind current education and training programmes, benefits and allowances designed for 16‐ and 17‐year‐olds.
Unlike other volumes from this publisher, this book is written in a conversational style. Thus if you want a Jobseeker’s hardship provision “You will have to attend an interview at the Jobcentre and fill in an application form . . . Jobcentre staff should not discourage you from applying for hardship payments . . . Awards of JSA hardship payment are usually paid two weeks in arrears. You can apply for a Social Fund payment to cover the time till the first payment is due . . . You will have to attend the Jobcentre for interview every two weeks before you get your payments.” There are tables, boxes and bullet points to help the user navigate the book. Even so, there is a lot of jargon: “in arrears”, “sanctions”, “BA”, and “CBEP” for example. The author does his best to provide definitions and write plain English, but he is probably on a “Mission Impossible”. This is, though, the best guide around, and experience tells me that the motivated training and benefit seeker is often far more au fait with the lingo than this well educated and fully employed reference librarian!
After an introduction to the departments and agencies involved in the scene such as DSS, DfEE, TEC and LECs, Part One ‐ “Benefits for Unemployed 16 and 17 Year Olds” ‐ introduces the reader to Child Benefit, Bridging Allowances, Income Support, Housing Benefit, and other delights such as the Habitual Residence Test. Part Two ‐ “Training Programmes and Support for Training” ‐ focuses on Work‐Based Training for Young People (WBTYP); and Part Three covers other education and training initiatives such as Study Support. Appendices cover approved qualifications and the weekly benefit rates. The list of references is a good stock revision guide for librarians.
This well‐produced, slimline book is essential stock for libraries catering for 16‐ and 17‐year‐olds, and their parents.
