These Regulations impose a requirement on lone parents who claim, or are entitled to, income support to take part in a work-focused interview (“an interview"). An interview can take place in the lone parent’s home if the interviewer considers that it would be unreasonable to require the lone parent to attend elsewhere. Lone parents are required to take part in further interviews at yearly intervals for so long as they remain on income support (regulation 2).

Regulation 3 prescribes circumstances as to when a lone parent is to be regarded as having taken part in an interview and regulation 4 specifies the circumstances where the requirement to take part in an interview is not to apply.

Regulation 5 specifies that an interview can be deferred and regulation 6 provides that the requirement to take part in an interview can be waived where an interview would not be of assistance to the lone parent or it would not be appropriate in the circumstances of the case.

Regulations 7 and 8 set out the sanctions imposed on lone parents who fail to take part in an interview without good cause.

Regulation 9 provides that a decision that a lone parent has failed to take part in an interview without good cause can be appealed to an appeal tribunal under section 12 of the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14).

Regulation 10 and Schedule 2 make minor and consequential amendments to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1968), the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1971), the Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/1814), the Social Security (Claims and Information) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/3108) and the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/897).

These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.