I don’t think anyone could deny that young people are getting a raw deal. But every time the conversation turns to young people, the go-to issue is tuition fees.

There are so many issues which have a much greater impact on young people than tuition fees, especially those from low-income backgrounds.

Here are 5 examples:

1. A lower minimum wage

The minimum wage of £7.83 per hour is far too low. But the rate is even lower for Under 25s. For 21-24 year olds it is £7.38, and for 18-20 year olds it is £5.90.

Maybe (at a push) you could justify a lower minimum wage for Under 18s, who are usually still living with their parents so face a lower cost of living.

But what kind of warped mind could justify a lower minimum wage for 24 year olds? Landlords and supermarkets don’t give them an “under 25 discount”! They pay the rent like anyone else. So why on earth should they be paid less than other adults for the same work?

2. Child Poverty

30% of children in Britain, and 37% in London live in poverty. No that’s not a typo. It really is that bad.

There are many different approaches we could take to address this. Childcare costs, housing costs, low pay – they all have an impact. In fact, the London Child Poverty Alliance has published a manifesto with twelve concrete suggestions for how councils can address child poverty. We should champion these solutions, to support young people who are growing up without enough money to get by.

3. Child Benefit

While we are on the subject of child poverty, did you know that parents are not entitled to child benefit for their 3rd child? This horrendous policy was bundled through in response to the populist sentiment of – “how dare poor people continue to have children which they can’t afford, when we all have to pay for it!”

Whatever you think of that logic – it doesn’t make any difference to how much money is needed to support a child for 18 years. Why should “third children” not be given the same resources for their care, just because the Government thinks that they should not have been born? Is there any evidence that these sorts of “deterrent policies” stop people having children anyway?

The criticism of this policy has largely been about the so-called “rape clause” – which is extremely bleak – but I think this criticism misses the point. The whole policy is abominable, not just the rape clause.

4. Exams

Our education system is not built with young people’s welfare in mind. From a young age the focus is on obsessively measuring their performance with an endless stream of testing, so that we can sort the best from the rest as frequently as possible.

I have many problems with the “exam approach” in schools – but a key one is that it treats young people’s wellbeing as collateral damage. The fact that this level of examination is extremely stressful is considered an unfortunate side effect of the system. No wonder we have such a problem with young people’s mental health.

Our schools should prioritise young people’s welfare, and not see them as competitors whose prime purpose is to pass an exam.

5. Maintenance Grants

Fine, fine – let’s talk about university. People repay tuition fees once they are earning a stable salary, which is why I am not too concerned about the impact that they have. But by replacing maintenance grants with loans, the Government have put an additional barrier in front of poorer students, which wealthier students won’t face.

University should be equally accessible for people from all backgrounds. If we want the funding system for universities to change, we should focus on maintenance grants, not tuition fees.

We need to change the narrative to champion the issues facing the most vulnerable young people. Because the lack of attention is being exploited by a Government who knows that we are looking the other way.

* Ben is a Councillor in Sutton, and the Vice Chair of the Environment & Transport Committee at Sutton Council. He has been a member of the party since the 2015 election, and used to work for the Sutton Liberal Democrats as a volunteer organiser. Ben now works for a charity promoting the greater use of Restorative Justice in the criminal justice system.