One-off £2,000 grant gives care leavers head start, study finds
Why it matters: Cash empowers vulnerable youth, slashing health and social costs in just one year.
- King’s College London ran a randomized study of 302 former care leavers, giving 100 a £2,000 grant and tracking outcomes at 6 and 12 months.
- Care leavers who received the cash were more likely to secure stable housing, less likely to sofa‑surf, and reported 12 % lower spending on alcohol, tobacco or drugs.
- Health services saw increased GP visits but fewer overnight hospital stays, indicating better preventive care and reduced crisis use.
- Policy makers are urged to consider unconditional cash transfers as a low‑cost, dignity‑preserving alternative to complex support programmes.
A one‑off £2,000 cash grant for care leavers dramatically cuts homelessness, hospital stays and arrests while boosting wellbeing, a King’s College London trial shows.
