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Hundreds of Westminster lone parents set to be sent out to find jobs
HUNDREDS of lone parents living in Westminster will be forced to find work when changes to the benefits system comes into effect in October.
The warning comes from education experts who fear controversial changes could plunge parents deeper into poverty.
Westminster Kings-way College have tabled an open day at the Micky Star Children’s Centre, Paddington, on April 4.
New government guidelines coming into effect in October will mean parents with children aged over 12 will be stripped of their income support and put on the Jobseekers’ Allowance programme.
Currently, the minimum age at which single parents can claim cash hand-outs is 16. But this will drop in phases to 12 and then seven by 2010.
Research from the Learning Skills Council (LSC) shows more than 700 lone parents living in Westminster will be affected.
Maggie Roy, who heads Westminster LSC, said: “The changes to the benefits system are supposed to reduce child poverty.
“But the majority of children in poverty have parents who are out of work.
“Training lone parents for work is vitally important. We need to change people’s attitudes about work and create better role models for children. I think the work is out there for them.”
Parents attending the open day, part of a series of similar adult employment schemes offered by the college, will be signed up for the free NVQ in business administration.
The open day is on April 4 at the Micky Star Children’s Centre, St Michael’s Street, from 10.30am until 1pm. For more details contact 020 7697 3816 |
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