DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN LONE PARENTS HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK?

[MAZZA181]

HI

JUST WONDERED IF ANYONE HAS A CLUE ON THE GOVERNMENT NEW RULES ABOUT MAKIN LONE PARENTS GO BACK TO WORK. I HAVE HEARD STORIES THAT THEY WANT LONE PARENTS TO GO BACK WHEN THEIR CHILD STARTS PRE-SCHOOL (3YRS). MY SON IS 2 1/2 AND I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK UNTIL HE STARTS PROPER SCHOOL WHEN HE IS 5.

I didn't think they were making them? Just encouraging them, which they have always done anyway.

no you wont have to go anywhere when your son is three. the proposal is requirement to look for work (actually to move on to JSA, a condition of which is you look for work or can lose benefits, if you are now on income support) when the oldest child turns seven and is only to be introduced in 2010. (or over 12 from end of this year but that wont apply to you).
the tories are against it so if they win the next election it might not happen anyway.
there is some stuff about making parents of under-sevens be 'job ready' but that's not about making you work, mostly just discussions about childcare/training/what might be available etc.
more about it here www.dwp.gov.uk/welfarereform/parents.asp

many thanks for that info woodstock3. very useful link too