Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Supporting Single Parents into Work

17 November 2021 · 6 other contributors · 4,857 words

Opened by Rupa Huq Lab Ealing Central and Acton

Responding minister: David Rutley

EmploymentBenefits & WelfareChildren & Families

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Rupa Huq raised concerns about supporting single parents into work in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Single parents face significant challenges in the job market due to sectors like hospitality and retail being heavily impacted by the pandemic.
  • The unemployment rate for single parents is double that of main carers in couples.
  • The lead MP calls for tailored support programs, better childcare cost management, and a fund to cover upfront childcare costs for single parents.

Key requests to Government

The lead MP asks for tailored support programs for single-parent families, better childcare cost management, reinstatement of previous funding cuts, and recognition of skills mismatches in job placements. She suggests a distinctive fund for upfront childcare costs and calls for measures to address the high upfront costs that make transitioning into work difficult for parents.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Rupa Huq Lab Ealing Central and Acton

Single parents face significant challenges in the job market due to sectors such as hospitality, high street retail, and travel being hit hard by the pandemic. The unemployment rate for single parents is double that of main carers in couples. Many single parents work part-time jobs compared to coupled parents, with 50% working part-time versus 25%. Single parents are more likely to have been furloughed longer than their coupled counterparts and less able to work from home due to the nature of their jobs.

Other contributors (6)
  • Gavin Newlands SNP Paisley and Renfrew North

    Shared his experience from childhood about the difficulties his mother faced when trying to return to work due to childcare issues, praised Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde for their support, but noted that they need more government support.

  • John Howell Con Henley

    The hon. Member is right, and I have been to my local job club in a church; he advises all MPs to do the same. He acknowledges that while figures are encouraging, there often remains a significant issue.

  • Kirsten Oswald Lab Ardwick

    Emphasised the importance of work flexibility and welcomed Scotland's trial of a four-day working week without loss of pay, arguing it enables better ways of looking at work for single parents.

  • Patricia Gibson SNP Greenock and Inverclyde

    Asked if younger single parents should have the same standard allowance for universal credit as older ones, noting that children of single parent families are more likely to grow up in poverty. Stressed the importance of better and more robust support from organisations such as DWP and child maintenance service to single parents fleeing domestic abuse.

  • Stella Creasy Lab Co-op Walthamstow

    I am concerned about the struggles faced by single parents, who are penalised for being under 25 and have to manage rising childcare costs without adequate financial support. The cost of childcare has risen three times faster than pay over the past decade, making it difficult for single parents to afford.

  • Theo Clarke Con Staffordshire Moorlands

    Welcomed yesterday's figures showing unemployment falling for nine months and highlighted the importance of community outreach programmes like Elim Hope Church's job club in his constituency to help single parents re-enter employment.

Government Response

David Rutley

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Nokes—or should I call you ma'am? I congratulate the hon. Member for Ealing Central and Acton (Dr Huq) for securing this debate. We recognise the heroic work that so many single parents do across the country, supporting businesses and organisations in the work they do—and supporting their children as well. Employment rates for single parents have grown by 11.4% since 2010, now at 68.5%. Through universal credit reforms—cutting the taper rate from 63% to 55% and increasing work allowances by £500 a year—we aim to ensure that work pays for the lowest-paid in society. This is complemented by an increase to the national living wage, extending it to £9.50 per hour from April 2022. We are committed to our comprehensive package of support, including the rapid estates expansion programme which has led to around 180 new job centre sites being opened all around the country and recruitment of 13,500 work coaches in the last financial year. Our plan for jobs will enable more single parents to take advantage of nearly 1.2 million vacancies in the labour market. The kickstart scheme has helped over 100,000 young people into job roles and our new DWP youth offer is providing extra wrap-around support to young people. For older single parents returning to employment, we have the restart scheme offering a fresh start for more than 1 million people who have been unemployed for over 12 months. In addition, our JETS (Job Entry Targeted Support) supports those who have been unemployed for at least 13 weeks. Tailored local approaches like dedicated sector-based work academy programmes in Merseyside and the parent journeys programme in Birmingham are helping lone parents to apply for employment opportunities with working hours that suit their childcare needs. We are also considering carefully the recommendations of Baroness McGregor-Smith's in-work progression commission, responding formally in the coming months. Skills development is a priority, particularly through the national skills fund which provides opportunities for all generations of adults previously left behind. Childcare support is available through universal credit and free childcare from the Department for Education. The flexible support fund can be used to provide childcare up front. We are also doing work to support the consultation by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on flexible working.

Get updates like this by email
▸ Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy