Children of jobless at a record low as reforms by IDS pay off

THE number of children in workless households has fallen to the lowest level on record in another sign of Britain’s buoyant jobs market.

Over the past year, the total has fallen by 90,000 to 1.3million according to the Office for National Statistics. It means 10.6 per cent of children live in workless households – the lowest since comparable records began in 1996.

In a timely boost to Theresa May ahead of next week’s election, the number of households where no one works has also fallen by 80,000 to 3.1million – a 0.4 per cent decrease.

The figures will be seen as evidence that reforms introduced by former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith are starting to bear fruit. These included capping benefits at £23,000 per household to encour-

‘Falling steadily for two decades’

age more people into jobs and cracking down on bogus disability claims.

Last night experts said the fall in workless households was further evidence of Britain’s booming jobs market following last June’s Brexit vote.

ONS figures for the first three months of this year show the unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in 42 years – while the number of people in work hit 74.8 per cent, the highest since records began.

Growth in the share of working households has been driven partly by a 1.4 per cent increase in the number of single parents who are in employment to 67.8 per cent.

Stephen Clarke, of the Resolution Foundation thinktank, said: ‘ It’s encouraging to see another fall in the number of workless households across Britain. Although more can be done to reduce this further, ensuring that work pays should be a priority.’