While I am getting some guidance myself, I will move on to some of the other points that the noble Baroness raised. She asked: if childcare is not available, is this an excuse not to undertake a work-related activity? We have no power to mandate claimants to place their children in childcare in order that they can undertake work-related activity. Claimants may also restrict their availability for work-related activity to times when they do not have childcare responsibilities. However, claimants cannot use the unavailability of childcare as a reason for not undertaking work-related activity. Even with the ability to restrict their availability, the requirement to undertake work-related activity remains. Claimants must accommodate this requirement or face the possibility of sanction. Claimants would therefore need to be reasonable about what they could do, which may involve taking up the offer of free childcare. If a claimant fails to comply with work-focused interview or work-related activity requirements, the regulations prescribe that the availability of childcare must be taken into account in determining whether that is a good cause, although it is not determinative of good cause in itself.
The noble Baroness asked about comparisons with jobseeker’s allowance and universal credit and the limit of 90 minutes’ travel time to and from the place of interview. A 90-minute travel time to work in each direction applies to those claimants who are expected to look for, and be available for, work. It does not apply to lone parents affected by this change, not does it apply to claimants on employment and support allowance. Any work-related activity which a claimant is required to undertake must be reasonable, taking the claimant’s personal circumstances into account, including the time that it would take for the claimant to get there. When determining what is reasonable, matters such as the availability and practicality of using public transport, the location of work-related activity and childcare responsibilities must be considered. Guidance will be updated to ensure that advisers are aware of this and take account of claimants’ individual circumstances.
Another question was about what support the group could get from the flexible support fund. The flexible support fund can be used in a number of ways, including paying for travel and replacement adult or child care to enable lone parents to undertake training, attend interviews or start work.
On why we use comparator old-style ESA, not JSA or universal credit, the JSA easement is for jobseekers. The ESA easement is in guidance. We will consider the need to place this in regulations.
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