UK universities urge fresh graduates to apply for welfare support

Several UK universities are urging fresh graduates to apply for welfare benefits after completing their courses, despite some graduates having job offers or living with their parents. Guidance has been issued by institutions such as King’s College London, Loughborough University, and the University of Stirling, encouraging students to claim Universal Credit or Jobseeker’s Allowance as a safety net during their transition from full-time study to work.

King’s College London, for instance, advises students not to feel bad about claiming these benefits, stating that they are meant to help graduates during this period. The guidance was published amid concerns over the UK's graduate jobs market and rising youth unemployment, with the unemployment rate for 16-to-24-year-olds at its highest in over a decade.

Critics, such as Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott, argue that the guidance is "madness" and would burden taxpayers, while others, like Nick Hillman from the Higher Education Policy Institute, defend the accessibility of welfare support for graduates who may struggle to find well-paid work immediately after completing their studies.