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Emergency Benefit : Contents

Parent

Generally, to be eligible for Sole Parent Support a client must be the child's natural or adoptive parent. If the client is not the child's natural or adoptive parent, you can regard the child as their own when:

  • the child is being maintained by the client and
  • was at any time maintained by the client's partner or
  • each of the child's natural or adoptive parents are deceased, cannot be found, or suffers a serious long-term disablement which renders them unable to care for the child or
  • due to a breakdown in the child's family no natural, adoptive or step parent is able to care for the child or provide fully to the child's support or
  • the child's natural, adoptive or step parents and/or guardians are unwilling to support the child

For more information see:

The legislation doesn't tell you how long the child must be maintained by the couple but it should be a reasonable period of time, not just a few weeks.

Example

A couple takes responsibility for a close relative's child and maintains the child for some years before they separate. This child would be considered as their own child.

Child is not considered the client's own

When a client is not the child's natural or adoptive parent and the child cannot be regarded as the client's own child, the client can test their eligibility to:

Legislation

  • Sole parent support: requirements section 29 Social Security Act 2018
  • What is sole parent requirement section 30 Social Security Act 2018
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