A report by the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC), anindependent statutory body set up to advise the Secretary of State forWork and Pensions, said that the Government should not proceed withplans to scrap income support and incapacity benefit and move everyonewho is able to work, including lone parents with children under seven,over to Jobseekers Allowance by 2010.
The report highlighted many concerns over the plans, including theavailability of suitable and affordable childcare provision, the abilityof lone parents to meet the needs of employers and children and thepotentially negative impacts on the family. It said the draftregulations could trap lone parents into low wage employment and in-workpoverty.
However, the Government's response to the report said that it had'carefully considered the concerns raised by the Committee' but that itdid not accept that it should not proceed with the changes. It said thatthe Government had been investing in initiatives to assist lone parentsand said that 'paid work, for those who can, is the most sustainableroute out of poverty'.
Fiona Weir, chief executive of One Parent Families/Gingerbread, said,'These changes will push lone parents into an increasingly difficultlabour market, without giving them the support they need to negotiateit.'