I've read the press release but does anyone know anything else about this new In Work Emergencies Fund for lone parents? Our callers will want to know how much, how to access it, criteria etc... The press release was very vague. We will need to update factsheets (again!) so something concrete would be useful.

Google has not come up with anything helpful.

Thank you and yours hopefully

Sue, Gingerbread Advice Line

And I've found out a bit more about it thanks to our policy officer who has a contact in the relevant bit of the DWP.

From October 2004 a new In Work Emergencies Fund will be piloted in London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds/Bradford and Liverpool. This is available to lone parents who are working at least 16 hours a week and have been in work for 60 days or less and were on Income Support for 26 weeks or more beforehand and/or participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP). This is a discretionary fund, administered by the NDLP adviser to help lone parents who experience an unforeseen emergency during the first two months in work, which without assistance from the fund would pose a barrier to them remaining in work, such as a sudden childcare emergency or disruption to travel arrangements.

Replying to myself, how sad!

Sue
Gingerbread Advice Line

In addition to the rightsnet news story we published on 26 October, have also come across a Jobcentre Plus briefing .... now available @

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/pdfs/Job_Centre_Plus_briefing_Emergenecies_Fund.doc