Changes to Income Support implemented this month by Secretary of State James Purnell are a serious threat to lone parents according to the assessment of the Government’s own Social Security Advisory Committee.

The Committee’s response to the Government’s proposal is unqualified and clear: We recommend that you do not proceed with these proposed regulations. However, James Purnell has overruled the objections and the changes are now in force.

From this month, lone parents whose youngest child is 12 years of age, will no longer be entitled to Income Support solely on the grounds of being a lone parent – until this month the qualifying age of the youngest child was 16. From October 2009 the qualifying age will be further reduced to 10 and from October 2010 to seven.

The Government’s justification for these changes is its own target of 70% of lone parents in employment on the grounds that employment is the way out of poverty for them and their children. Consequently lone parents whose youngest child has reached the ages identified above will be moved to Job Seekers Allowance and need to prove that they are available for, and actively seeking work.

However, the Committee found that we are not persuaded that the general policy direction of mandating lone parents with younger children to actively seek work is likely to be either effective or without potential negative impacts.

 It further believes that: significant numbers of families will move into employment and suffer in-work-poverty.

The Committee believes that not all of the 100,000 lone parents expected by the Government to move into employment by 2011 will be better off even if they are able to do so. The Committee argues that the Government’s calculations don’t take sufficient account of the loss of out-of-work benefits such as free school meals and free NHS prescriptions and the expenses connected with employment such as travel to work and childcare costs.

Lone parents on Job Seekers Allowance who fail to attend a Job Centre regularly and prove that they are actively seeking work or refuse a job offer to them could lose up to 40% of their benefits.

The Committee’s full response is set out on pages 18 - 32 of the full documentation set that can be reached by clicking this link.