Research and analysis

Lone Parent Obligations: supporting the journey into work (RR736)

A survey of over 2,500 lone parents to determine their work-readiness and likely requirements in terms of future support.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 1 May 2011

Documents

Lone Parent Obligations: supporting the journey into work (RR736): report

Ref: ISBN 978-1-84712-970-3

PDF, 1.77 MB, 161 pages

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Lone Parent Obligations: supporting the journey into work (RR736): summary

PDF, 123 KB, 4 pages

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Details

By Nick Coleman and Lorraine Lanceley

Under Lone Parent Obligations (LPO) some lone parents (depending on the age of their youngest child) are no longer eligible to continue receiving Income Support (IS) and will move to other destinations including Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

A survey of over 2,500 lone parents was undertaken between five and ten months prior to the end of their eligibility for IS when their youngest child is seven to determine their work-readiness and likely requirements in terms of future support. Research design and fieldwork were undertaken by the National Centre for Social Research and the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion.

The findings describe lone parents’:

• past employment;
• characteristics and circumstances including physical and mental health;
• self-perceived barriers to work;
• views on childcare and combining work with parenting.

This survey is one element of a comprehensive programme of evaluation research, using a mixed methods approach, to assess the effects of LPO.

Published 1 May 2011