parental employment in london. why parental employment? -parents tell us that they want to work...
TRANSCRIPT
Parental employment in London
Why parental employment?- Parents tell us that they want to work- Work can provide a route out of poverty…- …but concerns about in-work poverty- Increasing pressure on parents to work – and to work more
hours
“We are restoring not only the incentive to get a job, but what’s more, to progress onwards and upwards towards self-sufficiency”
Ian Duncan-Smith, Child Poverty Strategy
“Of the 1.5 million children in poor working families in 2011/12, only 100,000 were in families where all parents (including both lone parent and
couple families) were in full time work.” Child Poverty Strategy 2014
Lone parent employment rates
• Lone parents in London are less likely to be working and less likely to be working part time
• Massive decrease in lone parent worklessness
Mothers in couples employment rates
• Mothers in couples in London are less likely to be working, particularly part time
• Very little change in employment rates
Explaining the figures
- Lone parent obligations (but parents with U5s also starting work)
- Employment support to lone parents – but not to mothers in couples
- Childcare 28% more expensive than rest of UK - Longer, and more expensive, commutes
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In work poverty
• Wage levels alone are not enough to reduce poverty!
• But – gains to treasury from higher wages can be invested in children
Income
Part time pay
- Reduced London premium for part time work -> full time work is better paid
How many hours is it reasonable to work per week?- Polling- Parent’s views- In order not to be in poverty…
All Age of youngest child
0-2 3-4 5-13 14-18
Single parent 25 20 20 25 35
Couple
Parent 1 37 37 37 37 39
Parent 2 20 16 20 20 30
How many hours is it reasonable to work per week? – Parent’s view- “It depends….”
- On needs of family (not always related to age of children!)- Availability of childcare- Hours of work – when as well as how many- Values of parents
- Wanted to work – and not just about money- Felt there was more pressure on low income parents
Examples of good practice
- Employment services:- Recognising needs and barriers specific to parents- Benefit take up as part of employment- Councils using purchasing role to spread good practice - Timewise Council- Negotiating with employers around flexible working
Ideal solutions…
- Parents able to make genuine choices on what works best for their family and same choices for families whatever their income
- To enable that…- Affordable, suitable childcare- Family-friendly jobs- Employment support- In-work benefits supporting part time work for parents
