Context

There are two million lone parents and carers in the UK, bringing up three million children. Poverty is a major barrier for lone parents, made worse by inflexible working practices, a lack of affordable, accessible and quality childcare and a lack of well-paid, part-time employment. Nearly half of the children living in one-parent families live in poverty. Self-employment can be a viable choice for lone parents as it offers flexible working, a wider variety of childcare options and the opportunity to earn a decent income for themselves and their families.