Mrs. Ren║e Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why graphic design students are excluded from making claims for supplementary benefit on the same basis as those made by university and full-time polytechnic students and by youth opportunities programme and other trainees who receive payment.
§ Dr. BoysonPeople engaged in courses of full-time education are normally excluded from supplementary benefit. Young people under the age of 19 on courses of non-advanced education are treated as dependent on their parents, to whom child benefit is payable, until the end of the holidays following their final term at school or college. Students on full-time courses of advanced education, and all full-time students over the age of 19, are eligible to claim supplementary benefit during the vacations provided they can meet the normal conditions, principally that they should be available for work.
These general rules apply to graphic design students in the same way as to all other students and their supplementary benefit entitlement will therefore be dependent on whether their course is designated as non-advanced or advanced education.
Unemployed young people undergoing training on the youth opportunities programme (YOP) are in a different position from young people who have chosen to pursue a course of study outside the employment field. This is reflected in differing benefit rules; YOP trainees are not subject to the availability for work requirement and may therefore qualify for supplementary benefit if, exceptionally, the training allowance is insufficient to meet their requirements.