Welfare Reform Act 2009

3 Lone parents

(1) In section 124 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4) (conditions for income support), after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) Regulations under paragraph (e) of subsection (1) must secure that a person who—

(a) is not a member of a couple, and

(b) is responsible for, and a member of the same household as, a child under the age of 7,

falls within a category of person prescribed under that paragraph.

(1B) Subsection (1A) does not apply if regulations under subsection (4)(c) of section 1A of the Jobseekers Act 1995 containing the provision mentioned in subsection (5) of that section are in force.”

(2) In section 2A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5) (work-focused interviews)—

(a) after subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) No requirement may be imposed by virtue of this section on a person who—

(a) is not a member of a couple, and

(b) is responsible for, and a member of the same household as, a child under the age of one.

(2B) For the purposes of subsection (2A)(b) regulations may make provision—

(a) as to circumstances in which one person is to be treated as responsible or not responsible for another;

(b) as to circumstances in which persons are to be treated as being or not being members of the same household.”, and”

(b) in subsection (8), after “In this section—” insert—

• ““couple” has the meaning given by section 137(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;”.

(3) In section 12 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5) (employment and support allowance: work-focused interviews), in subsection (1)(b), at the end insert “or a lone parent of a child under the age of one”.

(4) In section 13 of that Act (employment and support allowance: work-related activity)—

(a) in subsection (1), after “section 12(1)” insert “, and who is not a lone parent of a child under the age of 3,”, and

(b) after subsection (6) insert—

“(6A) Regulations under this section shall include provision for securing that lone parents are entitled (subject to meeting any prescribed conditions) to restrict the times at which they are required to undertake work-related activity.”

(5) In section 24 of that Act (interpretation of Part 1), after subsection (3) insert—

“(3A) For the purposes of this Part, a person is a lone parent if the person—

(a) is not a member of a couple (within the meaning given by section 137(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act), and

(b) is responsible for, and a member of the same household as, a person under the age of 16.

(3B) For the purposes of subsection (3A)(b) regulations may make provision—

(a) as to circumstances in which one person is to be treated as responsible or not responsible for another;

(b) as to circumstances in which persons are to be treated as being or not being members of the same household.”