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Reverse the requirement for parents on UC to be available to work for 30 hours

Submitted by Maggie Gordon-Walker on Thursday 23rd March 2023

Published on Monday 24th April 2023

Current status: Closed

Closed: Tuesday 24th October 2023

Signatures: 23,232

Relevant Departments

Petition Action

Reverse the requirement for parents on UC to be available to work for 30 hours

Petition Details

Nestling quietly in Hunt's budget was a proposal that must NOT be introduced.

Additional Information

Lead carers (the vast majority being women) on universal credit could be sanctioned if they are not available to work up to 30 hours a week once their child turns 3. This disregards children's needs and penalises lone parents.

This is short-sighted, inhumane and signals a change in how the welfare state values parenting despite saving on the cost of state-funded childcare; regarding unpaid care work as less valuable to society. Parents will also need to meet with a job coach every month with no childcare provided to attend. Nurseries don't have space or staff to deal with extra children. This could devalue parent-child bonding, drive families into debt and exacerbate a mental health crisis.


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