Department for Work and Pensions
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New support and responsibilities for lone parents

New support and responsibilities for lone parents

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS News Release (Reference DRC-101) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 6 October 2008

New benefit rules to help lone parents into work by helping them find additional training, prepare for the workplace and find suitable childcare, have been laid in Parliament today.

Under the current rules lone parents can claim Income Support until their youngest child reaches 16. As a result of these changes, from November 2008 those lone parents, whose children are aged 12 and over, will move off Income Support and onto Jobseeker's Allowance if they are capable of work or Employment and Support Allowance if they cannot work because they have a disability or health condition.

Under the new proposals, first outlined in January 2006 in the Green Paper published by John Hutton, lone parents of older children will have increased contact with a Jobcentre Plus employment adviser for bespoke support and, for those that can, to help them find work.

The Government understands that lone parents need to balance responsibilities for their children with work requirements, paid work has benefits that go beyond making families better off. It improves the health and well-being and future prospects of both parents and children.

There will be additional flexibility for lone parents claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, as we recognise that some lone parents face circumstances that need special consideration. This includes taking into account the availability, suitability and affordability of childcare, including in the school holidays.

Secretary of State James Purnell said:

"More than a million lone parents across the UK are already working, supporting themselves and their families. The number of lone parents in work has risen by 11.6 per cent since 1997, meaning an extra 320, 000 lone parents now have a job. Work is the best route out of poverty and these reforms will offer lone parents access to a range of support to help move into paid work and stay there."

As well as offering one-on-one back to work support Jobcentre Plus employment advisers can also offer Better Off In-Work calculations to show how much more money lone parents will have if they work, skills checks and advice on financial support such as In-work Credit, which is a tax-free weekly payment of £40 (£60 in London), available for up to a year.

Advisers also offer practical support such as helping lone parents find local, affordable childcare, discuss time management and arrange guaranteed interviews through Local Employment Partnerships.

The Government plans to further extend this support to lone parents whose youngest child is 10 from 2009 and whose youngest child is seven from 2010.

If the regulations are approved by Parliament they will come into force from 24th November 2008.

Notes to editors

1. The Green Paper, A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering people to work, published by John Hutton in January 2006 first discussed these proposals. They are part of the wider reforms of the welfare system aimed at helping people back in to work.

2. These changes are one of a number of reforms being delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions this month. A new benefit, Employment and Support Allowance will be introduced on October 27th and also this month the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will take over from the Child Support Agency.

3. These reforms are part of wider plans to reform the benefits system and help more people into work.

4. International evidence indicates that, in the majority of cases, countries with higher lone parent employment rates have lower poverty rates for lone parent households.

5. In countries where active labour measures are in place, eligibility is often limited to lone parents with a youngest child above a certain age. For example, conditionality in Australia begins when the child is six, in the Netherlands when the child is five, and in France and Germany when the child is three.

6. Under current rules lone parents can claim income support, solely on the basis of being a lone parent until their youngest child is 16.

7. Jobcentre Plus staff will ensure that every lone parent is contacted before the changes affect them to give them enough time to claim another benefit or find paid work.

8. Loan parents whose youngest child is 12 and above will be invited to a special interview with an employment adviser to discuss their options. Lone parents whose youngest child is aged between nine and 11 will be invited to more frequent sessions with an employment adviser (increasing from bi-annually to quarterly).

9. Some lone parents will continue to receive Income Support if:

* They are in receipt of the middle or highest rate of Disability Living Allowance for one of their children;

* Receive Carer's Allowance, or;

* Are Fostering.

10. These regulations were laid before Parliament today. The regulations will be the subject of a debate in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords before coming into effect. Exact timings for these debates will be announced by Parliament.

Press office: 0203 267 5144

Website: http://www.dwp.gov.uk

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