General Discussion

This letter was in yesterday's Observer

"I was fortunate enough to turn 18 two months before 7 May this year and so I am proud to state I am one of the 58% of young people who cast their vote in the general election. However, it pains me to say that I am now one of the millions of people who will be worse off, thanks to George Osborne’s summer budget.

It appears, after the first Conservative budget in 19 years, that it is families and young people who are to be hit the hardest, while big corporations are protected. For young people, there are several policies within the budget that will make the next five years appear far gloomier than they should. The scrapping of university maintenance grants (replacing them with loans) will drag the poorest of students into a bigger pit of debt; the removal of housing benefit for 18- to 21-year-olds makes it even harder for young adults to move out and pay rent (especially in extortionate Hertfordshire!); and the headline-grabbing “national living wage” will not even apply to under-25s, leaving graduates, school leavers and even young parents without a much-needed wage boost and financially at a huge disadvantage.

The other serious losers of this budget are working parents. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has stated that 13 million families will lose £260 a year due to Osborne’s changes to the benefits and tax system. Even more shockingly, around 3 million families will lose out on average £1,000 a year, thanks to harsh amendments to the tax credit system. Just think what losing £1,000 would mean to a family of four; it could wipe out half a year’s grocery shopping, at least.

Luke Sills

Kings Langley, Herts"