Warning over credit change

MORE THAN a quarter of a million young or disabled single parents will have support dramatically cut under reforms to universal credit that MPs debated on Monday, analysis by Gingerbread and The Children’s Society claims.

The charities’ report ‘Single parents and Universal Credit: singled out?’ argues 265,000 disadvantaged single parents could lose thousands of pounds a year under the government’s universal credit plans, unless urgent changes are made. The two groups claim 900,000 families will lose out if plans are unamended. Lily Caprani, Director of Communications and Policy at The Children’s Society, said: “Millions of single mums and dads up and down the country already face extra hurdles when caring for their children.

“These struggling families must not be hit any harder, especially at a time when support services are being cut and the costs of childcare and housing are rising.”

At present, single parents are exempt from rules to provide people under the age of 25 a lower rate of support, but reforms will remove this exemption, which the charities claim will result in 240,000 young parents losing around £750 a year.

Figures produced by the government admit changes to support for all parents under the age of 25 will result in 100,000 more children being pushed into poverty.

A further 25,000 disabled single parents will also lose out with the abolition of the severe disability premium.

Severely disabled single parents – many of whom rely on their children to provide them with care – could lose more than £3,000 a year.

The Children’s Society warns this could account for one-fifth of the income for these households.