Make Work Workable for single parents

Gingerbread is campaigning for a better deal for single parents – as employees and as parents - during the recession. We believe the Government’s proposals to force the single parents of young children to prepare for work or get their benefits cut, are unfair and unworkable. We want them to axe these plans.

What's the problem?

Single parents want the choice about when to return to work.

How do we know? Because we asked them…
The majority of single parents told Gingerbread they wanted to work, but only when the time was right for them and their children.

Single parents don’t want to compromise on the care of their children.

Kathy says: “If I had to go to work, my middle child would have to be home alone during the holidays, as I would not be able to afford to pay for play schemes, which the kids really hate anyway.”

Single parents are worried about being pushed into low-paid, short-term jobs, without support.

Amanda says: “The way they spoke to me at the job centre was as if I was nothing. When I explained that I had a degree but would like to retrain, the woman said, “we don’t run courses for people like you.”

Single parents are worried that the benefits maze is complicated, and they don’t always get the right advice

Stella says: “I never had a clue how much Housing Benefit I would be paid. It seemed quite random and I got into debt when they made a mistake with my calculation. Won’t the system become more bureaucratic and broken when they start to cut benefits.”

Help us to campaign

1) Take part in our survey. The more people who tell us how it is for them, the stronger our voice out there were it counts.

You can fill in our survey here

2) Get informed. Up-to-date information on changes to the benefits system, which will affect single parents is available from the Single Parent Helpline on 0808 802 0925.

3) Write to your MP to express your concerns about welfare reform proposals.
To find out who they are, log on to They Work For You website

4) Contact Gingerbread’s press office to share your voice and support our media campaign: tel 020 7428 5416


Formed from the merger of the National Council for One Parent Families and Gingerbread.	Search:
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