I'm with Tinks on this. I'm 21 and had to sign on last year after finishing college, I was, however, incredibly lucky to find a job after 6 months. I hate it when people tar my whole generation with the same brush. Fair enough there are some junkie layabouts with no intention of getting a job but they have haven't just popped up in the last few years!!
With the economy as it is at the moment, permanent jobs are very hard to come by. The redundancy scenarios that some of you have already mentioned aren't even an option round here because all you can get is temporary contracts! What would happen if you were unable to get another job after your temporary contract runs out?
This whole topic of young folk and benefits just really gets my goat!! :|