Single parents must find a job when youngest becomes seven

Those who refuse to try to find a job will lose some of their benefits.

The controversial plan, set out by the Government, is among a raft of ambitious welfare reforms designed to get more of the longterm unemployed back to work.

Other proposals include forcing the jobless to do unpaid work experience if they claim benefits for more than a year.

The reform of single parent benefits - designed to encourage 300,000 back to work - received an angry response from single-parent campaign groups, who said it would only force more families into poverty.

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Left-wing Labour MPs staged a mass revolt when Tony Blair tried to reform single parent benefits a decade ago, and are warning of fresh rows ahead.

Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain revealed that from October next year, the Government intends to require that single parents seek work when their youngest child reaches 12 - rather than the current 16.

The age limit will fall to seven in October 2010, by which time it will affect 40 per cent of the 776,000 single parents in the UK.

Britain's employment rate for lone parents is just 56.5 per cent, the lowest in Europe. In Denmark, the figure is 80 per cent.

Lone parents here typically get income support of £57.45 a week, child tax credit worth £65 a week, and help with council tax and housing costs of £88.45 a week.

Under the reforms, they will no longer be eligible for income support

Single parents are to be forced to look for work once their youngest child reaches seven.

Those who refuse to try to find a job will lose some of their benefits.

The controversial plan, set out by the Government, is among a raft of ambitious welfare reforms designed to get more of the longterm unemployed back to work.

Other proposals include forcing the jobless to do unpaid work experience if they claim benefits for more than a year.

The reform of single parent benefits - designed to encourage 300,000 back to work - received an angry response from single-parent campaign groups, who said it would only force more families into poverty.

Left-wing Labour MPs staged a mass revolt when Tony Blair tried to reform single parent benefits a decade ago, and are warning of fresh rows ahead.

Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain revealed that from October next year, the Government intends to require that single parents seek work when their youngest child reaches 12 - rather than the current 16.

The age limit will fall to seven in October 2010, by which time it will affect 40 per cent of the 776,000 single parents in the UK.

Britain's employment rate for lone parents is just 56.5 per cent, the lowest in Europe. In Denmark, the figure is 80 per cent.

Lone parents here typically get income support of £57.45 a week, child tax credit worth £65 a week, and help with council tax and housing costs of £88.45 a week.

Under the reforms, they will no longer be eligible for income support once their child turns seven.

Instead, they will be moved on to Jobseeker's Allowance, which is paid at the same rate but comes with a requirement to look for work.

They could opt to work part-time, or restrict their availability to school hours. Ministers are also considering extending flexible working rights to the parents of older children.

The Tories said they would support lowering the age limit to 12, but cast doubt on the move to seven.

The party's work and pensions spokesman Chris Grayling: "Twelve makes good sense.

"Kids are going off to secondary school and becoming more independent.

"But we need to take a step back and make sure that by going further, we aren't pushing mothers and fathers away from their children at a relatively young age when there could be a detrimental effect on them."

Former Labour minister Chris Pond, now chief executive of the campaign group One Parent Families, said: "Lone parents want help in getting over the obstacles they face when they are ready to work - including far more affordable childcare - not further impoverishment if they prioritise their children."

Kate Green, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: "Forcing lone parents to face benefit sanctions when their children are still at primary schools is outrageous.

"Taking money away from families that are already poor will worsen poverty for many children and put their health and well-being at risk."

• The number of people in work has reached record levels and unemployment has fallen to its lowest for over a year, new figures showed today.

Employment increased by 93,000 in the three months to May to 29.08 million, the highest total since records began in 1971, and a rise of 180,000 over the past year.

Unemployment fell by 35,000 over the same quarter to 1.66 million, the lowest for over a year, giving a jobless rate of 5.4 per cent.

The Office for National Statistics also reported that average earnings increased by 3.5 per cent in the year to May.