Single Parents in PRS Face Poverty

The introduction of universal credit could leave many single-parent families facing a life in poverty because of rising private sector housing costs.  A study from the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University found that the caps on how much benefit can be claimed under the new system will leave many worse-off even if they take part-time work.  According to the research – published by the charity for single people Gingerbread – a single parent with an average private rent earning the minimum wage would stay below the poverty line even if they work up to 16 hours a week.  In contrast, someone paying a social rent, covered fully by universal credit, would be able to escape poverty by working only a few hours a week.  The report further found that the universal credit will provide a disincentive to work longer hours for many people.  Download a copy of the report - Struggling to make ends meet - from the Gingerbread website.