PROPOSALS to cut teen pregnancy rates by axing housing benefits for teenage mothers have been met with anger in the North East – the region with the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country.

A group of 40 Tory MPs recently published proposals suggesting teenage mothers should only get benefits if they are living in a hostel or with their parents.

The ‘40 Group’ – who represent the party’s most marginal seats - said this would discourage those thinking of having children to claim benefits.

Their report said: “16-17-year- olds are currently entitled to claim housing benefit if they ‘have a good reason for not living at home’.

“Some teenagers may view this, quite incorrectly, as an automatic right to free housing, encouraging them to have a child.”

It went on to say that teen mothers claiming child benefit and income support caused resentment and unease, creating a public perception of teenagers having children to attain benefits.

The proposals come at a time when UK teen pregnancy rates are at their lowest ever level.

Leading academic Dr Lisa Arai, Senior Lecturer in Teesside University’s School of Health and Social Care, said teen mothers were being made scapegoats.

She added: “There is no evidence at all that teenage girls deliberately get pregnant to get a house or welfare benefits and I don’t believe this kind of initiative is going to bring down teenage pregnancy rates which, in fact, have been declining for several years.”

Pat Glass, Labour MP for North West Durham said: “This is just another example of the government’s macho posturing on welfare. It’s completely out of touch with reality facing many teenage mothers.”

The chief executive of A Way Out - a charity supporting vulnerable young women in the North East - described the proposals as laughable.

Jessie Jacobs said: “It is disappointing that policy makers do not have an understanding of the complex issues that cause teen pregnancies.

“We already have many young mothers facing homelessness or in hostels, which are an expensive and unsafe option.

“They need to look at what works and help them find opportunities, jobs and education – all of these things build up a person from the inside out and that is what the government should be focusing on.

“Life is so hard for these women and they are making it harder.”

'This will solve nothing'

Hartlepool mother Miranda Jones, now 20, gave birth to daughter Amber four years ago.

She said: “I grew up in a stable environment with both of my parents working in good jobs but I did not get along with them and left home when I was 16.

“I moved in with my boyfriend. We were naive and planned our baby but did not consider how young we were.

“People say young parents automatically get council houses but we couldn’t get one as there was a two-year wait.

“We were working but claimed housing benefit and council tax just to get through.

“It was extremely difficult and without those benefits, we would have been homeless.

“After we split up, I ended up on the streets with my 3-year-old and had no option but to make up with my parents.

“To be on your own with your child and no home is hard and these proposals will not help anything, it is a punishment for being a young mother.

“Being a teenage mum was a struggle but it also helped me to become responsible, it made me the person I am today.

“I could have ended up in jail or on drugs but I took my responsibilities very seriously and was determined having my daughter young would not affect her life.

“I teach her as much as I can and make sure she is clean and well fed.

“I’m a better parent than I might have been as I had places to go for help.

“That kind of thing makes a difference. Rather than punish, we should educate more and make people aware of how hard it is to have children and support young people to make sure their children grow up in a stable environment.

“Hopefully then those children will not grow up to have their own children.

“Cutting benefits will solve nothing, it will just cause more problems.”