Scottish charity launches survey to create clearer picture of benefit changes impact

An organisation that has been supporting lone parents in Scotland for over 70 years is examining the impact of welfare reform on single mothers.

One Parent Families Scotland, set up in 1944, has launched a survey in a bid to create a detailed response to the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee.

The committee, which monitors how welfare reform is implemented in Scotland, is conducting an inquiry on ‘The impact of welfare reform on women’.

One Parent Families Scotland will be submitting evidence on the impact on single mothers, who, it says make up 92% of all single parents.

Welfare reforms it says have made single parents feel pressured to take paid work as they now have to sign on for Jobseeker’s Allowance when their youngest child reaches the age of five and be available for and actively seek work, or face a sanction.

Single parents, the charity adds, have saw a real-time cut of 4% in most benefits and tax credits.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “As part of our response we would like to hear from single parents about your experience of welfare reform.

“There is no deadline for this survey as we aim to gather single parents' views over the next 12 months.”