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The rapper and film director Plan B has criticised the way young people on benefits are treated. The artist, whose real name is Ben Drew, said young people have grown up on 鈥渞otting鈥� council estates 鈥渢hat are crime and drug ridden鈥� and ignored by politicians and society.

Plan B was expelled from school in east London and sent to the Tunmarsh Pupil Referral Unit in Newham. It teaches around 60 children who have been permanently excluded from mainstream education.

He's now set up a charity giving grants to young people for skills or training programmes. The Tunmarsh centre's music room will reopen next month after a 拢50 000 donation from Plan B's record label.

Ben Drew told Victoria Derbyshire's programme that young people on benefits can 鈥渇eel鈥� people looking down on them and it is putting them off finding work:

鈥淭hese kids feel it, they feel it when they go into a social situation out of their comfort zone, I felt it when I went on work placements and then you open the paper and there is all this stuff about chavs and people who claim benefits. Damn some people need to claim benefits.

The government said initiatives like the Youth Contract, which gives financial support to employers who take on young people, are helping but that 16- 24 year olds must be prepared to "earn or learn."

A government spokesperson said: "All our reforms are designed to ensure young people leave school with the skills they need to secure a good job or continue studying.

"That includes introducing a curriculum and qualifications fit for the 21st century and ensuring all young people who don't achieve at least a C in GCSE English and maths continue studying those vital subjects up to 18.

"We also plan to spend 拢7.4 billion in the coming year to fund an education and training place for every 16 and 17-year-old who wants one and we are committed to helping more young people benefit from Apprenticeships and Traineeships which give them the skills, confidence and experience demanded by employers.鈥�

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