Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Lone-parent hostel plan condemned

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

PLANS to put single mothers into hostels and to force their parents to pay towards their upkeep were condemned yesterday as a return to Victorian morality, writes Rosie Waterhouse.

Conservative sources appeared to be floating the ideas to curb spending on lone parents as part of a drive to cut social security spending of pounds 80bn this year.

Peter Lilley, the Secretary of State for Social Security, is reported to be seriously considering proposals to encourage councils to build hostels for young single mothers, force them to provide a court order to prove they have been thrown out of their parents' home and to compel their parents to contribute towards their cost of living.

Anti-poverty campaigners claim Mr Lilley's assumption is not backed by the facts: that of 895,000 single parents on income support in 1991 only 45,000, or 5 per cent, were between 16 and 19. Sally Witcher, director of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: 'The idea of hostels for lone parents smacks of Victorian attitudes and their institutions for fallen women.'

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in