The new deal for lone parents, lone parent work-focused interviews and working families tax credit - a review of impacts

Abstract

This research report compares the findings of a number of published evaluations of New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP), Lone Parent Work Focused Interviews (LPWFIs) and Working Families' Tax Credit (WFTC). These policies have all been subject to separate evaluations at different points in time between 2003 and 2006. The aims of this evaluation were to: bring the wealth of evidence together into a single, comprehensive report; consider the range of impact estimates available; report on the effectiveness of the policies. The impact assessments have typically used different methods and impact indicators, so a key aspect of reconciling the evidence was to establish the extent to which the different estimates were compatible. The research was also concerned with extracting information from the existing studies about the interaction or linkages between the policies, including the impact of LPWFIs on referrals to NDLP.