Lesley Laird, the Shadow Scottish Secretary, has branded the Tory benefit cap as an ‘attack on single mothers’, as new figures reveal that the policy disproportionately affects one parent families.The figures show almost two thirds of capped claimants are lone parents – and 96 per cent of affected parents are female.
Tory welfare changes have previously been lambasted for having a disproportionately harmful impact on women.
The worst of which is the Conservative government’s ‘rape clause’, which forces women who have been victims of rape to fill out an intrusive eight page form before being able to receive child tax credits.
Labour outlined welfare changes in its 2017 manifesto, which the party has said would help redress gender inequality in social security. These included abolishing the ‘rape clause’ and lifting the benefit cap.
Labour is beginning its party conference with National Women’s Conference in Brighton today (Saturday).
Speaking ahead of Labour’s National Women’s Conference, Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, Lesley Laird MP said:
“The Tories’ benefit cap forms an attack on single mothers, as these new figures show.
“Almost two thirds of all claimants affected by the cap are single mothers.
“The Conservative Party’s welfare reforms, driven by its austerity agenda, have been cruel and have disproportionality harmed women.
“A Labour government would lift the benefit cap altogether, ending a system which has forced many to rely on foodbanks to get by.
“Labour would redress the gender inequality in our welfare system by reforming social security to build a system based on the principles of fairness and equality.”
Laird added:
“The horrific rape clause, which forces women who have been victims of rape to fill out forms before receiving child tax credits, is one of the most abhorrent policies ever introduced by a Tory government.
“The horrific rape clause, which forces women who have been victims of rape to fill out forms before receiving child tax credits, is one of the most abhorrent policies ever introduced by a Tory government.
“Labour is clear – we would abolish the rape clause and no Labour government would ever introduce such a policy again.”
NOTES
Source: DWP Statistics
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Proportion of capped claimants: |
|
|
Single, no children |
9.85% |
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Couple, no children |
0.32% |
|
Lone parent |
64.08% |
|
Couple with children |
25.78% |
|
Gender of capped lone parents: |
|
|
Male |
2.74% |
|
Female |
95.79% |
|
Unknown |
1.43% |
|
May-2017 |
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West Dunbartonshire Councillor Martin Rooney 