§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further plans he has to study ways of encouraging single mothers to return to work rather than depend on income support and other benefits; and if he will make a statement.
§ 31. Mr. MaplesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to help and encourage lone parents who want to become more independent through work.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer 23 October 1989]: The number of lone parent families dependent on supplementary benefit income support has grown from 318,000 in 1979 to 722,000 in 19881 and approximately two-thirds of all lone parent families are dependent on income support.
Legislation places a duty on absent husbands and fathers to meet their responsibilities wherever they can afford to. However, for over three quarters of the lone parent families receiving income support the absent parent pays no maintenance at all. We shall continue to look for ways to make our efforts to obtain a contribution even more effective. Regular payments of maintenance can provide a useful basis of non-benefit income for lone parents who wish to work.
Lone parents are able to receive income support without having to be available for work, and it is right that they should be able to decide for themselves what is best for them and their children. However, where the lone parent does wish to work the family credit and housing benefit schemes give special help which recognises that lone parents can face extra expenses in working.
In addition, as announced in my right hon. Friend's statement about the uprating of Social Security Benefits, 188W on 25 October, lone parents in work will receive extra help from next year. In housing benefit, the lone parent premium will increase from £8.60 a week to £9.70 from April 1990 and the earnings disregard will increase from £15 to £25 a week from October 1990.
In addition, lone parent families in work will benefit like other families on low incomes from increases my right hon. Friend has announced of £1 a week in the family credit adult credit and 50 pence a week housing benefit family premium which are in addition to the normal uprating of these benefits.
1 Sources:
1979 Supplementary Benefit Annual Statistical Enquiry.
1988 Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry.
Note: The figures on the numbers of lone parents do not include prisoners' partners.