Southwark councillors have unanimously backed a campaign to outlaw discrimination against single parents.
The motion, which called for single parents to receive extra protection from the UK Equality Act, was passed at July’s council assembly meeting.
It was put forward by Southwark councillor and cabinet member Stephanie Cryan; a single parent herself.
All councillors voted in support of the motion, which advocates that single parents deserve the same as other ‘protected characteristics’ under the act, which currently include age; disability; marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity.
Around a third of all parents experience single parenting at some point while raising children, with a quarter of all parents being single parents in the UK at any given time.
In Southwark, more than 40 per cent of households are believed to be headed by single parents. Although seventy per cent of single mothers are in work, almost two-thirds of children raised in working, single-parent homes are living in poverty.
Ruth Talbot set up the campaigning group Single Parents Rights after becoming particularly frustrated with the lack of consideration and support shown for single-parent families during the pandemic.
Examples of unfair treatment highlighted include the fact that the 30 hours of government funded childcare is not available to single parent registered carers who are not working, but is available for those who have a partner in work. Single parents can also lose out in child benefit calculations, and often have to pay higher entry fees to attractions.
“Single parents have faced stigma and discrimination for decades,” said Ms Talbot. “In the first national lockdown single parents were left to struggle alone without any consideration.
“This was not new though, single parents are often forgotten and discriminated against.
“We are overcharged for days out, pushed out of work by unsupportive employees, and prevented from renting homes for our families.
“Yet despite this, we aren’t protected in UK law. We are thrilled that Southwark Council has passed this motion to support us in calling on the UK government to add single parents as a protected characteristic in the Equality Act and we look forward to supporting them to end discrimination towards single parents in Southwark.”
Cllr Cryan added: “Southwark Council is adding its voice to the growing campaign to improve the rights of single parents and the movement to end the discrimination that we face.
“All we ask is that we are treated with dignity, respect and equality; single parents and our children deserve better.”