Spike in helpline calls over ‘catastrophic’ lone parent cuts

Concern over “catastrophic” changes to lone-parent benefits has seen a 50% rise in calls to a helpline, a support group has revealed.

The One Family organisation said it had received 2,000 calls so far this year with most concerning controversial changes to payments. Reforms pushed through by Social Protection Minister Joan Burton meant that one-parent family allowance was withdrawn with recipients moved to other allowances.