MP, Labour’s Work and
Pensions Secretary, commenting on the benefit cap
statistics published today, said:
“The benefit cap statistics published this morning are stark. A
thousand more households had their housing benefits capped for
the first time last quarter and single parents with at least one
young child under the age of 5 were by far the biggest single
group affected.
“Many single parents on low income desperately want to work, but
they face real challenges in finding affordable childcare and
work that is flexible.
“Over four million children are growing up in poverty, and
independent organisations like the IFS are warning that this is
set to increase sharply over this Parliament as a direct result
of government policies.
“Labour would make tackling child poverty the priority it should
be through a Living Wage of £10 an hour; free childcare for all
children under the age of 5; and a social security system that
supports parents rather than penalises them.”
Ends
Notes to Editors:
- 72% (44,000) of households that had their Housing Benefit
capped at February 2018 are single-parent families.
- 77% (33,000) of single-parent capped households have at least
one child aged under 5 years, including 33% (14,000) with a child
aged under 2 years at February 2018.
- 78% of households capped at February 2018 were capped only
because of the introduction of the lower cap levels from November
2016.
- The cap was reduced from a level of £26,000 which applied
across the UK to £23,000 in London and £20,000 in the rest of the
country. The lower level has meant that for the first time it has
had a significant impact outside London.
