Signing on and stepping up? Lone parents’ experience of welfare reform

26 October 2009

Gingerbread have recently completed research that followed some of the first parents to move onto Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). The benefit rules changed recently so that most single parents whose oldest child is aged 12-15 have been moved off Income Support and onto JSA in the last few months. The changes will be affecting more parents with younger children over the next two years.

Some of the first single parents to be affected by the changes took part in this work and we interviewed them in-depth before and after they moved off Income Support.

•    Before the move, parents expected to feel under considerable pressure to find work once they were on JSA. Once they were on JSA many parents did indeed feel under pressure and some were applying for jobs that would not really be suitable. In general the increase in pressure was not accompanied by more support to find a job; once on JSA many parents said that they had not had any support or advice about job hunting apart from hurried fortnightly sign-on appointments.

•    Many parents said that Jobseeker’s Allowance is more stigmatised than Income Support, and parents felt embarrassed about signing on at the Jobcentre.

•    Jobseeker’s Allowance is paid every two weeks, whereas Income Support is paid every week. The change to fortnightly payments was very unpopular and caused problems for many parents.

• There was evidence that parents are not getting enough clear information about the change to JSA. Some parents did not know well in advance when their benefits would change, others were worried that their JSA might be stopped if they didn’t find work, and many did not understand the conditions and flexibilities around JSA.

• Many of these parents had health conditions or other responsibilities that would make it difficult for them to work, and many had children with health issues or problems at school.

Gingerbread is calling for:

•   Earlier support for single parents, so that intensive personalised support, rather than pressure, is available from the first day of the claim.

•   Clear information at all stages of the process so that parents know well ahead of time when they will move to JSA, what this will entail, their rights to support and how their treatment will change over time.

•    Recognition that single parents form a distinct 'client group' by virtue of their sole responsibility for children. Access to 'lone parent expertise' is essential and claims should have a clear 'lone parent marker' on DWP's IT system.

• A clear commitment from Jobcentre Plus to allow parents to undertake training or studying so that they can move into sustainable employment.

• The individual circumstances and needs of parents and children must be considered by advisors. There should be more 'childcare' for teenagers which is tailored to their interests, to resolve some of parents' concerns about leaving young people unsupervised.


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