Lone Parents: Government Assistance

As set out in our Child Poverty Strategy, this government recognises that the right employment support can help lone parents overcome complex barriers to work, increase their hours and earnings, and progress in work. That is why we are driving forward labour market interventions to help parents to enter and progress in work.

DWP offers financial assistance with childcare, including 30 hours of free childcare a week through the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme. Eligible customers on Universal Credit (UC) can also be reimbursed up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month. Parents may also be eligible for support with up to 100% of the first month’s upfront childcare costs through the Flexible Support Fund, where they are moving into work or increasing their earnings. To help larger families, we also announced that, from 2026-27, UC childcare support will extend to each additional child beyond the first. Lead carers receiving UC also have different conditionality requirements to reflect their childcare responsibilities.

Lone parents who are receiving benefits can also access tailored and flexible support through Jobcentres, including initiatives such as Inactivity Trailblazers in England and Wales, Skills Bootcamps, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, the Adult Skills Fund, and Pathways to Work for disabled people or those with health conditions. DWP also deploys c.300 Family Community work coaches in England to help parents overcome barriers to work.

We are supporting parents to balance work and childcare through the Make Work Pay legislation, which strengthens rights to request flexible working arrangements, and through rolling out free breakfast clubs in schools across the country.

As part of plans to reform Jobcentre Plus, we are creating a Jobs and Careers Service, with an enhanced focus on skills and careers. Support will be more inclusive and better tailored to individual needs, including lone parents, to help them move back into good, meaningful work and progress in work. As part of this, we have launched our new digital service ‘Work Hub’, which provides customers with access to an AI work assistant, CV builder and job-search tool, whenever they need it.