On 10K you would be entitled to income support if you have dependant children.
Correct.. And I'm sure the Citizens Advice would have a few words of advice to any 19 year old budding trainee who has no kids and is thus being positively discriminated against by not receiving a 'like-for-like' salary in his job.
Last time I checked no promising young police probationers (just to pick one example) were getting family allowances from their employer, why should NATS operate differently?!
As flower mentions there are financial support systems put in place by HMG to help with these things, it is not the employers responsibility, espically if you accept the T's and C's beforehand.