Parents on Universal Credit with children aged three to 12 will be required to spend more time looking for work from today, October 25.
Parents will now have to agree with their work coach to spend more time in work or looking for work, up to 30 hours a week.
Individual commitments will be tailored to meet a parent’s circumstances such as the availability of childcare.
This comes after the Government increased childcare support for claimants, now providing up-front and increased costs of up to £951 a month for one child and up to £1,630 for two or more children.
Work and pensions secretary, Mel Stride, said: “We are pulling down barriers that stop parents working and fulfilling their potential, because we know full time work not only benefits mum and dad but the whole family too.
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“These changes will support thousands on their back to work journey. We’re backing working families, and as they step up for their careers, we are taking action to halve inflation, grow the economy and make everyone’s money go further.”
However, critics of the new requirements have branded the policy “inhumane” in a Parliament petition opposing the move, which has had over 23,000 signatures at the time of writing.
The petition states: “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.
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“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.”
As the petition has reached 10,000 signatures, the Government is now required to provide a response.
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Those affected by the new requirement will see updates on their expected work-related activity, such as searching and applying for jobs and updating CVs.
All the activities provided are meant to help a parent increasing their chances of getting a job or to increase their working hours.
Benefits claimants are on track for a 6.7 percent increase to payments next April in line with the September figure for inflation.
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