Lone Parent Earnings Disregard of £50 per week to be piloted from 2010
Posted on 15th July 2009
Yvette Cooper, the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, has announced that the government will be piloting a new earnings disregard for lone parents from 2010. This will mean that lone parents who work less than 16hours per week will be able to keep £50 of their earnings, rather than the current £20 before their Income Support is affected.
One Parent Families Scotland has known for a long time that many lone parents prefer to "test the waters" when returning to employment by working less than 16 hours per week. The £50 disregard is welcome but the government has not yet stated where this measure will be piloted and we would have liked it to be introduced everywhere, not just piloted.
New report from Gingerbread on Welfare Reform: "There's only one of me"
Our English colleagues, Gingerbread (www.gingerbread.org.uk), have produced a report on the feedback they have had from lone parents on welfare reform so far.
It makes interesting reading and we'd love to hear your experiences in Scotland. Please contact info@opfs.org.uk.