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| Single parents 'must find work' | Single parents 'must find work' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Single parents should be expected to look for work once their child turns 12 rather than the current age of 16, a report will say. | |
| The government-commissioned report will say the change is needed as part of a major overhaul of welfare services. | The government-commissioned report will say the change is needed as part of a major overhaul of welfare services. |
| It will recommend private firms and voluntary groups should run schemes to get people off benefits and into work. | It will recommend private firms and voluntary groups should run schemes to get people off benefits and into work. |
| Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton has warned claimants' benefits could be cut or reduced as a "last resort". | Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton has warned claimants' benefits could be cut or reduced as a "last resort". |
| 'Active help' | 'Active help' |
| Mr Hutton told BBC One's Sunday AM he was prepared to cut the benefits of people who did not seek help or accept advice about finding work. | Mr Hutton told BBC One's Sunday AM he was prepared to cut the benefits of people who did not seek help or accept advice about finding work. |
| "The status quo, I think, is not defensible. | "The status quo, I think, is not defensible. |
| "We should be prepared to have an open mind about reform, but it will not be based on the principle that the first thing you do is cut people's benefits. | "We should be prepared to have an open mind about reform, but it will not be based on the principle that the first thing you do is cut people's benefits. |
| "You should never do that - that's the last resort." | "You should never do that - that's the last resort." |
| He added: "What we should do is provide active help and support to get these people back to the labour market." | He added: "What we should do is provide active help and support to get these people back to the labour market." |
| If you want to present yourself well at an interview, you've got to look the part John HuttonWork and Pensions Secretary | If you want to present yourself well at an interview, you've got to look the part John HuttonWork and Pensions Secretary |
| The report, written by former city banker David Freud, will be unveiled on Monday by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Mr Hutton. | The report, written by former city banker David Freud, will be unveiled on Monday by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Mr Hutton. |
| Mr Freud was called in to reduce the number of people of working age on benefits for which they do not have to be actively seeking work. | Mr Freud was called in to reduce the number of people of working age on benefits for which they do not have to be actively seeking work. |
| His report is expected to say that organisations running the schemes should be given cash incentives for keeping people off benefits. | His report is expected to say that organisations running the schemes should be given cash incentives for keeping people off benefits. |
| Mr Hutton said a proposal to privatise help for the unemployed could sit alongside the existing system for getting people into work - Job Centre Plus. | Mr Hutton said a proposal to privatise help for the unemployed could sit alongside the existing system for getting people into work - Job Centre Plus. |
| Officials representing tens of thousands of JobCentre Plus workers said they feared compulsory redundancies amongst staff who currently deal with welfare-to-work programmes. | Officials representing tens of thousands of JobCentre Plus workers said they feared compulsory redundancies amongst staff who currently deal with welfare-to-work programmes. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY All the current system does is reward those who want something for nothing. Jon Butler, UK Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY All the current system does is reward those who want something for nothing. Jon Butler, UK Send us your comments |
| Mr Hutton also did not rule out suggestions that money could also be made available to help the long-term unemployed buy a suit or get a haircut in preparation for their job hunt. | Mr Hutton also did not rule out suggestions that money could also be made available to help the long-term unemployed buy a suit or get a haircut in preparation for their job hunt. |
| "For a lot of people it is about confidence building and sometimes, if you want to present yourself well at an interview, you've got to look the part," he said. | "For a lot of people it is about confidence building and sometimes, if you want to present yourself well at an interview, you've got to look the part," he said. |
| Other issues the report is expected to raise include considering giving people help to pay off debts they have accrued while on benefits, and tackling the problem of people doing short spells of work and then having longer periods on benefit. | Other issues the report is expected to raise include considering giving people help to pay off debts they have accrued while on benefits, and tackling the problem of people doing short spells of work and then having longer periods on benefit. |
| Those who are not working very often have good reasons for not doing so Chris PondOne Parent Families | Those who are not working very often have good reasons for not doing so Chris PondOne Parent Families |
| Chris Pond, director of the group One Parent Families, told the BBC he thought forcing single parents into work was a bad idea. | Chris Pond, director of the group One Parent Families, told the BBC he thought forcing single parents into work was a bad idea. |
| "It would be a real mistake to start cajoling lone parents, even those with older children, into jobs when it's just not right for them," he said. | "It would be a real mistake to start cajoling lone parents, even those with older children, into jobs when it's just not right for them," he said. |
| "Most lone parents with older children are already working. About 70% already have a job. Those who are not working very often have good reasons for not doing so." | "Most lone parents with older children are already working. About 70% already have a job. Those who are not working very often have good reasons for not doing so." |
| Kate Green, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said policies should not just be about getting people jobs, but getting them the right sort of jobs. | Kate Green, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said policies should not just be about getting people jobs, but getting them the right sort of jobs. |
| "Around half of children who are poor are in families where there is at least one adult in paid work, so I think it's very important to make sure that, if we're talking about more parents going out to work, that really it is the kind of work that can enable them properly to provide for their kids." | "Around half of children who are poor are in families where there is at least one adult in paid work, so I think it's very important to make sure that, if we're talking about more parents going out to work, that really it is the kind of work that can enable them properly to provide for their kids." |