Welfare Reform Bill, Conditionality & Childcare
OPFS has been working with Action for Children (Scotland) to progress amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill. These aim to ensure that a claimant will not face a loss of benefit where they are unable to take up work related requirements, because they are unable to access appropriate childcare which meets the needs of any child for which the claimant is the responsible carer.
At the Report Stage in the Lords we were able to secure significant commitments from the UK Government in response to the amendments lodged by Baroness Lister and supported by Lord Archy Kirkwood and the Lord Bishop of Rippon and Leeds, on behalf of our organisations.
Amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill can be downloaded below.
The main commitment made by Lord Freud is that:
"Regulations will prescribe that claimants with a child under 13 will be able to limit their work search to jobs that fit around their children's school hours. This is key. The best way to prevent the inappropriate application of sanctions is to ensure that requirements are reasonable in the first instance"
This is a major concession as it will offer some protection to claimants with a dependent child who has been moved on to JSA.
An extract from the House of Lords hansard is available below.
