The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will conclude its work this Parliament in March 2026 ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election. So the Committee has time to complete its work, it has agreed not to consider petitions submitted after 10 October.
The Committee will continue to meet but given the volume of petitions and agreed work programme it is unlikely that the Committee would be able to meaningfully progress work on petitions submitted after 10 October ahead of the election. Petitions lodged after this date will not fall when the Parliament is dissolved and will be for the successor committee to consider in the new session.
If you are seeking urgent action or policy change please contact one of your 8 MSPs or the Scottish Government directly.
Closed petition PE1868: Support for working single parents
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to provide support to single parents by—
*increasing the council tax discount available to single parents from 25% to 50%; and
*lobbying the UK Government to create a working single parent tax allowance and a household income-based child benefit.
Previous action taken
I have contacted MSPs Rona Mackay, Neil Bibby, Ross Greer and Jamie Greene.
I have also emailed Nicola Sturgeon.
Background information
I believe that single working parents face financial discrimination from the Scottish and UK Governments.
The Scottish Government should make a change to Council Tax, adding ‘Single parent’ to the 'disregarded' list, so that single parents are eligible for a 50% discount. This would help single parents by removing the extra 25% burden they pay from 1 salary vs households with two working parents.
I am also petitioning the UK Government to change income tax and child benefits, to help single parents.
Two working parents can earn more as a household e.g. £40,000 from 2 salaries, and be taxed less, compared to a 'single parent', who earns more as an individual e.g. £25,300, but less as a household. The same situation applies in child benefit eligibility. The availability of a married couple allowance again highlights more discrimination.
I would like the Scottish Government to support my call for a working single parent tax allowance, and to lobby to the UK Government for this.
This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament
316 signatures