ORIGINS AND DESTINATIONS - SOCIAL-SECURITY CLAIMANT DYNAMICS

This article briefly reviews American and British literature on welfar e dynamics and examines the concepts of welfare dependency and 'depend ency culture' with particular reference to lone parents. Using UK bene fit data sets, the welfare dynamics of lone mothers are examined to ex plore the extent to which they inform the debates. Evidence from Housi ng Benefits data show that even over a relatively short time period, t here is significant turnover in the benefits-dependent lone parent pop ulation with movement in and out of income support as well as movement into other family structures. Younger lone parents and owner-occupier s tend to leave the data set while older lone parents and council tena nts are most likely to stay. Some owner-occupier lone parents may be r elatively well off and on income support for a relatively short time b etween separation and a financial settlement being reached. They may a lso represent a more highly educated and highly skilled group with eas ier access to the labour market than renters. Any policy moves paralle ling those in the United States to time limit benefit will disproporti onately affect older lone parents.