SINGLE parents should receive more support from the UK Government and have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, according to the SNP. 

The party’s deputy Westminster Leader Kirsten Oswald has urged the Conservative government to improve welfare support for single parents, 90 per cent of whom are women.

The MP for East Renfrewshire has made the call on International Women's Day, and said it is vital that UK government ministers act now to prevent further problems for single parent families down the line.

According to single parent charity Gingerbread, around one in 10 lone parents have lost their jobs throughout the pandemic, and a third have been furloughed, compared to around 25% of parents who have a partner.

READ MORE: Generation Covid: Study lays bare ramifications of pandemic on Scotland's children

Throughout the crisis 22% of single parents reported the increased cost of living having a negative impact on their finances - compared to 15% of couple parents.

Four in five single parents said not having enough income to meet living costs meant they were forced to borrow money and get into debt and 66% of single parents said they had to cut back on food for themselves. A further 20% said they had to reduce their children’s meals too as a result of making debt repayments.

Today the SNP is urging the UK government to improve welfare support for single parents, arguing that thousands of Scottish families are struggling.

The Herald: Kirsten Oswald MP.

Ms Oswald said last week’s Budget delivered by the Chancellor was a “dereliction of duty to families”, and has called for those on Universal Credit to have 100% of their costs for childcare met by Westminster, as opposed to just 85%.

According to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions, as of August 2020 (latest), 51,730 households had entitlement to the childcare element in Universal Credit in the UK, of whom 3,605 were in Scotland.

The SNP has also renewed its calls for the Tory government to match the Scottish Child Payment that sees parents receive £10 per week per child under six years old, make the £20 Universal Credit uplift permanent and extend it to legacy benefits, carry out a root-and-branch review of the Child Maintenance Service, and scrap the two-child limit and benefit cap.

The Herald: Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak

Ms Oswald said: "The Chancellor had the opportunity on Wednesday to pull households back from the brink of - and lift them out of – poverty and destitution. He chose not to and instead confirmed further cuts. The Budget was a complete dereliction of duty to families – particularly single parents and women who have disproportionately faced higher costs and borne the brunt of the pandemic.

“It is vital that the Tories wake up from this alternate reality they seem to be living in and invest to strengthen welfare protections for parents if we are to see a strong and socially just recovery. That means covering 100% of childcare costs for Universal Credit claimants instead of just 85% and scrapping the upfront childcare payments."

READ MORE: Budget 2021: key points of Rishi Sunak's Commons statement

A UK Government spokesman said: “We are committed to supporting those most in need through the pandemic, including single parents, which is why we’re spending hundreds of billions to safeguard jobs, boosting welfare support by billions, raising the living wage and have introduced the Covid Winter Grant Scheme to help children and families stay warm and well-fed during the coldest months.

“Scotland has significant welfare powers and can top-up existing benefits, pay discretionary payments and create entirely new benefits in areas of devolved responsibility.”