Welfare to work

The Government’s new Work Programme will be introduced by summer 2011. It will offer personalised support to long-term unemployed job seekers.

From 2013 a new Universal Credit will be introduced as part of the Government’s welfare reforms. This is designed to simplify the system, and make sure that people are better off in work than on benefits. It intends to help more parents and carers move from worklessness into ‘part time jobs’, gradually increasing their hours as their benefits taper off.

Women Like Us recommendations

The Work Programme will help many parents get back to work. However, we believe that adjustments to eligibility rules and service standards could help even more. Our recommendations include:

• That conditionality for lone parents and carers is limited to working part time. 
• That advisors have the specialist expertise to work with lone parents. 
• Consider giving lone parents early access to the Work Programme. (Current guidance is that they must have been on Job Seekers Allowance for one year.) 
• Consider how best to support parents from low income households, who are not eligible for the Work Programme. 
• Review the benefits thresholds for the Universal Credit before it is introduced in 2013, as current analysis suggests it may in fact disincentivise lower income mothers from working. 
• Greater focus, within welfare to work provision, on stimulating an increase in part time job creation. 
• Training and support for employer engagement teams, so they can promote the business benefits of flexible working and offer guidance on part time job creation and implementation, particularly to small and medium sized businesses.