Removing benefits for young people doesn’t work

Job jongeren uitkering - Young people are entitled to an allowance for one year after their studies. The aim is to encourage them to look for work and not to leave school prematurely. Researchers from UGent and UCLouvain have examined whether this objective is achieved. Most young people who do not find a job after their studies are entitled to an unemployment benefit, called the insertion allowance, one year after they finish their studies. When it came to power in 2015, the Michel government abolished the right to this benefit for two groups: (i) young people over 25 and (ii) young people under 21 without a secondary school diploma. The objective was to encourage young people to seek more employment and not to leave school prematurely. Researchers from UGent and UCLouvain have tested whether this measure meets this objective.