Survey highlights flexibility penalty for mums
Despite the post-Covid move to more flexible working, many mums are struggling to get the...read more
New statistics published today by the ONS show that 66.5 per cent of single parents are now in work.
The statistics show the biggest falls in worklessness since 1996 have been among parents, with the largest absolute fall among single parents.
The government says the figures show its welfare reforms which have cut benefits for stay-at-home single parents are working, but single parent activists say many of those who are in jobs are in poverty.
Gingerbread Chief Executive Fiona Weir said: “It is great news that two-thirds of single parents are now in work.
“However, we know that many of the single parents behind these statistics are struggling to provide for their families with low paid, insecure work. More than a third of single parents in part-time work and a fifth of those working full-time are still in poverty. Strong progress has been made in moving more single parents in to work, the challenge remains for the government to make work pay.”
Gingerbread says 35 per cent of single parents working part time and 19 per cent of single parents working full time are in poverty.
Over the last few years the government has lowered the threshold for when benefits are withdrawn from single parents if they are not actively looking for work. Before 2008 it was when their children reached the age of 12. Currently it is when their children start school at the age of five. The government announced last year that they would lower this to three.