Brown sets out lone parents pilot

Gordon Brown wants to see 70% of lone parents in work

Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced a new programme which hopes to get 30,000 lone parents back into work.

The scheme, backed by Boots and Sainsburys, involves compulsory interviews and will offer lone parents help with training and childcare.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland the chancellor said the scheme would make "it possible for people who knew that they would not be better off in work under the last government to know that they will now be better off".

The scheme is called Choices and is being run as a pilot in Fife in Scotland and south Tyneside in England before spreading to the rest of the UK by next Easter.

Mr Brown said: "Since we came into government we've introduced the New Deal for Lone Parents and this month we're launching a pilot programme to bring the numbers of lone parents in work up from 50% to 70% - a similar level to Europe and America."

Options

Lone parents entering the programme have four main options:

Educational training, during which they will receive an extra £15 per week or £800 a year to help with the cost of studying;

Taking a "mini job" of less than 16 hours per week with help to pay childcare costs in the first year and being able to keep the first £20 of their wages without affecting their income support,

Taking a job of 16 hours a week or more and applying for the working families tax credit, which gives a guaranteed income of £155 per week for 16 hours or more;

Taking a 16 hours-per-week job with working families tax credit with an income of £214 for 35 hours or more;

The programme will also help people meet housing costs, with single parents able to keep income support for mortgage interest payments in the first four weeks of their new job.

Interviews not 'onerous'

The chancellor dismissed criticism of the compulsory interviews which form part of the programme.

Mr Brown said: "Once your child is of school age, to ask you in for an interview... so we can tell you the choices, is not in my view very onerous."

Speaking later on a visit to a job centre in Cowdenbeath, Fife, Mr Brown said the new expanded programme would be matched with improved childcare for single parents.

He said there would be more childcare places and improved quality - "that is essential".

"We've been behind because the opportunities have not been available in the past. We're creating opportunities for the future.

"I hope that this will be the signal for a nationwide programme to create these opportunities.

"I want lone parents to use the programme because it will increase opportunity and give people the chance to fulfil their potential," Mr Brown said.