14 May 2008 – Consultation: The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008
The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) has been asked by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to consider proposals for the above named regulations. These proposals would have the effect of:
- starting in November 2008 lone parents with a youngest child aged at least 12 will no longer be entitled to Income Support (IS) solely on the grounds of being a lone parent from, and from October 2009 when their youngest child reaches age 10 and from October 2010 when their youngest child reaches age 7;
- to amend Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) Regulations so that Jobcentre Plus staff must consider whether appropriate and affordable childcare is available when determining whether a person with caring responsibilities in relation to a child had just cause for leaving employment or had good cause for failing to take up paid employment or to comply with a jobseeker’s direction;
- to amend the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) Regulations so that lone parents previously on IS with the disability premium do not have to serve the ESA assessment phase and will receive the work-related activity component from the start of their ESA claim;
- to amend JSA Regulations so that Jobcentre Plus staff will have additional flexibilities to enable parents to be treated as available for, or actively seeking, work in certain circumstances;
- to introduce arrangements for certain existing lone parents who are also full time students, completing a full time course on New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP) or participating in an approved scheme to continue to claim IS for a limited period;
- to amend the existing JSA hardship regime to include lone parents as a vulnerable group; and
- to introduce mandatory quarterly work-focused interviews (QWFIs) for lone parents in the last year of their eligibility for IS. This will apply to lone parents on IS with a youngest child aged 9 to 11 from November 2008, to lone parents with a youngest child aged 6 to 9 from October 2009 and to lone parents with a youngest child aged 6 from October 2010.
Before the Committee considers and reports on these proposals, it would like to hear from organisations and individuals who have views. Those wishing to make representations to the Committee may obtain copies of the Department’s explanatory memorandum and draft regulations from our website http://ssac.org.uk or from the Committee Secretariat (contact Natalie Harwood on 0207 412 1508).
Representations should be sent to the Committee at New Court, 48 Carey Street, London, WC2A 2LS, or by email , or via the consultation response facility on our website, to arrive no later than Friday 13 June 2008.
Note for Editors
The SSAC is the main UK advisory body for all social security matters except those relating to industrial injuries, war pensions, occupational pensions, and National Insurance contributions. Most proposals for social security regulations have to be submitted to the SSAC before they are made. When the Committee reports on regulations, the report is laid before Parliament with the regulations and a statement from the Secretary of State responding to any recommendations the Committee has made.
