Lone parents
No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility (published on 21 July 2008) includes new proposals to support more lone parents with younger children into employment so that preparation for work becomes a natural progression, rather than a sudden step-up:
- a skills check when the youngest child is 5
- a requirement to attend relevent skills training where this addresses skills gaps that have been identified by the Skills Health Check as a barrier to starting work
- pilots to encourage lone parents with children under 5 to develop the skills they need to find work before they may be mandated to a Skills Health Check.
New obligations for lone parents with older children
These measures will support the new obligations proposals for lone parents with older children as set out in Ready for work: full employment in our generation (published on 13 December 2007). Subject to Parliamentary approval, the proposals will require those lone parents who are capable of work to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance if they are currently claiming Income Support solely based on being a lone parent when their youngest child is:
- 12 or over from November 2008
- 10 or over from October 2009
- 7 or over from October 2010.
These changes will only apply to lone parents who are able to work. Lone parents who also have other reasons for claiming Income Support will continue to be eligible to claim Income Support or another appropriate benefit such as Employment Support Allowance. For example, if they have children for whom the middle of highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance is payable, or they claim Carers Allowance, or are fostering.
Pre-employment and in-work support
The proposed changes include access to pre-employment and in-work support aimed at easing the transition from being on benefit to moving to employment.
- New Deal Plus for Lone Parents (ND+fLP) pilots extended and expanded.
- Further extension of six monthly work focused interviews for lone parents with youngest child aged 0–4 years. From April 2008 all lone parents who have a youngest child aged 13 or under will undergo six monthly work focused interviews.
- Job Interview Guarantee for every lone parent who is looking for and ready for work.
- Options and Choices events for lone parents whose youngest child is aged 11 or over, or approaching 11, that will enable them to understand how Jobcentre Plus and other partner organisations can help them prepare for a return to work, develop their skills and understand how the local labour market works.
- Work Trials giving lone parents (and other unemployed customers) the opportunity to try out a job for up to 15 days without having to give up benefit.
- In Work Credit paid at £40 a week (£60 in London) for 52 weeks to lone parents leaving benefits for work of 16 hours or more and also to couple parents in London who are in paid work of 24 hours a week.
- In Work Emergency Discretionary Fund provides financial help to lone parents for the first 26 weeks of their employment, to overcome any unexpected financial barriers which might otherwise prevent them from remaining in their jobs.
- In Work Advisory Support from Jobcentre Plus Advisers for all lone parents in their first 26 weeks of employment to help resolve any difficulties, and direct individuals towards any support needed such as skills and training.
- Upfront Childcare Fund pilot in London provides financial support to lone parents to cover advance childcare costs such as registration fees, deposits and advance payments.
From July 2008
- In Work Credit expanded to couple parents in New Deal Plus for Lone Parents pilot districts throughout the country.
- In Work Retention pilot a two-year pilot to test the effectiveness of using In Work Credit as an aid to job retention and progression. After a period of weekly payments to support the transition into work, lone parents will receive lump sum payments if they attend further meetings with a Personal Adviser.
From October 2008
- Better Off In Work Credit trial to ensure that lone parents (and customers on Jobseeker’s Allowance and Incapacity Benefit) are at least £25 a week better off in work than they would be on out-of-work benefits. If successful, this will be extended in 2009.
From November 2008
- Quarterly Work Focused Interviews for lone parents in the last year before their child reaches the age where they may lose eligibility to IS.
Childcare
The Childcare Act 2006 requires all local authorities in England and Wales to secure sufficient childcare to meet the needs of working parents from April 2008. Local authority assessments carried out in 2008 will identify demand for different kinds of childcare from local parents, including those who educate their children at home.
Flexible working
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) will shortly be consulting on how to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of children aged 16 years and under. This follows Imelda Walsh’s independent review of the right to request flexible working (139KB) 
(links to the BERR website).