Commentary on Sections Part 1 – Social Security Section 3: Lone parents
79.Section 3(1) amends section 124 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 to ensure that lone parents with a child under seven are a prescribed category of person entitled to income support. Section 3(2) amends section 2A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to ensure that lone parents on income support with a child under one will not be required to take part in a work-focused interview. Further, subsections (3) to (5) amend sections 12, 13 and 24 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007, to ensure that lone parents on employment and support allowance with a child under one will not be required to take part in a work-focused interview, and that lone parents on employment and support allowance with a child under three will not be required to undertake work-related activity. Section 3(4) also contains provision that allows lone parents receiving employment and support allowance to restrict the hours they are required to undertake work-related activity. These powers will be used to enable them to restrict the activities they will undertake to their child’s hours of schooling or formal childcare.