LP Income support going down to under 5

epitome

I'm getting conflicting dates on this. Some people say it is going down to under 5 years at the end of this month.

Some people are saying it goes down from April next year - or some time next year.

Out of interest..
What would happen to a claimant who makes a claim (by phone) to LP IS with a youngest child of 5 years ??? literally days or 1 day before the change over? Would the claim be allowed to start? & When would it close?

kingfisherblue

I'm not sure about it going down to youngest child being 4 - I thought it was going to youngest child being 5. I know someone whose youngest was five at the end of April, and about two months ago, she was told that she would be moved from IS to JSA in January - so they do give you notice.

Based on this, though, I would imagine that your claim would be for JSA, not IS, if your child is already five.

epitome

This site says 25 Oct 2011
http://www.disabilityalliance.org/f45.htm

But it could be getting confused with the 25 OCT 2010 date for the change to under 7.

This site says **if the Welfare Reform Bill is passed** it will change in 2012
http://turn2us.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/319/~/income-support-and-lone-parents
This makes some sense as ESA conts will only cease after 1 year if the WRB is passed. So the IS LP change could also be linked to the WR Bill.

MrsManda

This is probably a better source of information:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/lone-parents/

We believe it is reasonable to expect lone parents to take up work once their children are in full-time education. That is why, in our Budget statement on 22 June 2010, we announced that the Income Support entitlement conditions will change to require that lone parents with a youngest child over five will be required to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance if they are capable of work rather than Income Support. We expect to implement this change in early 2012. The Welfare Reform Bill which was introduced to Parliament on 16 February 2011 legislates for this change.
Lone parents who have other reasons for claiming Income Support will continue to be eligible to claim Income Support or another appropriate benefit such as Employment and Support Allowance.
Lone parents with children 12 and under can restrict their availability to work to fit with their child’s regular school hours.

HTH

epitome

Yes, it's linked to the WR Bill, which has not been passed yet. Thanks.

Still wondering what would happen to a lone parent who qualified and made a claim on a Tuesday to Income Support, but on the next day Wednesday the new rules come into force. The fact that she got her claim in before the rule change must amount to something, especially as the contact centre software will have made her aware that she had an eligibility to Income Support on the Tuesday.