Employment rate for lone parents hits record high

New figures show a large drop in the number of workless households in the UK, with one of the biggest falls amongst lone parent homes.

Statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions show that the number of lone parents living in workless households has dropped by 37,000 in a year. The employment rate for lone parents is at a record high of 54.3 per cent with almost 1 million in work.

The number of people of working age living in workless households was down 25,000 since last year and down 121,000 on five years ago.

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Minister for work, Jane Kennedy, said the figures showed that the Government’s Welfare to Work policy was working.

“There are fewer people on lone parent benefits and fewer lone parents without work,” she said. “This is a sure sign that support offered by the New Deal for Lone Parents and Jobcentre Plus is making a difference to people’s lives.”