"As part of the Lone Parent
Obligations (LPO) changes, from November 2008 lone parents with a youngest child aged 12 or
over were no longer entitled to receive Income Support (IS) solely on the grounds of being a lone
parent. Since then, the age of the youngest child has reduced to ten and over from October 2009
and seven and over from October 2010. Lone parents who are no longer eligible for IS have been
able to move to other benefits as appropriate, including Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). The JSA
regime has been amended to include flexibilities for parents, for example, in the hours of work they
are required to seek.
The aim of this evaluation is to explore whether and how lone parent employment interventions
provide an effective incentive to look for paid employment, alongside an effective package of
support for workless lone parents, to enable them to find, enter and sustain paid employment." - Page 1
