Carers and child poverty charities welcome Government’s change of heart on parents of disabled children

04.11.09

Carers and children’s charities are delighted by yesterday’s statement by Lord McKenzie that the Government have accepted an amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill which will exempt lone parents with children under the age of 16 on lower levels of Disabled Living Allowance (DLA) from having to engage in work- related or job-seeking activities.

While the previous proposals meant lone parents with children in receipt of middle or higher rate DLA were exempt from the requirement to engage in work-related activities or face benefit sanctions, lone parents with children on the lower rate of DLA were not.

Child Poverty Action Group and West Norfolk Women and Carers' Pensions Network argued that this distinction did not reflect the complexity of parent’s lives or the way in which DLA is administered. It would cause particular hardship for families whose children frequently moved between different rates of DLA. An amendment was tabled by Baroness Thomas of Winchester during the Third Reading of the Welfare Reform Bill in the House of Lords on 22 October, which led to yesterday’s statement by Lord McKenzie that the Government ‘have now decided to ensure that lone parents on income support who have a child under the age of 16 and in receipt of any rate of care component of disability living allowance will not be required to undertake work-related activities.’

Kate Green Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group said:

“While there is much that we continue to disagree with in the current welfare reform bill we welcome this statement that recognises the difficulties some parents with disabled children would experience juggling caring responsibilities alongside fulfilling the requirement to engage in work-related activities, we appreciate the Government’s willingness to show such an open mind in this instance.

"Lord McKenzie’s statement removes the prospect of lone parents with disabled children having their benefit sanctioned through no fault of their own. Awards from the DLA often fluctuate between the levels of DLA, particularly in the case of children with hidden disabilities such as autism and ADHD.

"DLA provides valuable protection to families facing a high risk of poverty, and it made little sense to threaten such families with benefit sanctions. The amendment will not only make families lives easier, but it will render complex new systems easier to administer."

Notes for editors

• The Welfare Reform Bill received its Third Reading in the House of Lords on 3rd November.  The full debate and Lord McKenzie’s statement can be downloaded from: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/91103-0006.htm#091103123000604
• Child Poverty Action Group’s manifesto, published in March 2009, can be found at: www.cpag.org.uk/manifesto
• For up-to-date background facts and stats on UK poverty, visit: www.cpag.org.uk/povertyfacts/
• CPAG is the leading charity campaigning for the abolition of child poverty in the UK and for a better deal for low-income families and children.
• CPAG is one of over 150 member organisations of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goals of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending child poverty by 2020 are met.

For further information please contact:
Joshua Fenton-Glynn
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
jfentonglynn@cpag.org.uk