Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to book by Kate Andersen Welfare That Works for Women? Mothers’ Experiences of the Conditionality within Universal Credit, published in January, what steps they are taking to ensure that work-related requirements are appropriate to parents' caring responsibilities.

The Department is committed to providing the best possible support for all claimants to meet their individual circumstances. Claimants with parental caring responsibilities continue to have tailored commitments agreed based on their personal circumstances and conditionality requirements.

Any work-related requirements are set in discussion with the claimant, tailored to their individual capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable. The guidance available to DWP staff outlines the easements which may be applied to claimants with parental caring responsibilities.

A copy of the Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons library and the department is committed to refreshing it at regular intervals.