SINGLE parents of kids just three and four years old will be forced to look for work in order to receive Universal Credit – or risk sanctions that could drive them into poverty, a charity warned yesterday.

Campaign group and charity Gingerbread says that by the time UC is fully rolled out, 220,000 parents — including 165,000 single parents — face falling into poverty or debt because of the new rules.

The charity points to major flaws in the system, including the government’s new offer of 30 hours’ free childcare per week — which only applies to those who work 16 hours or more and are paid the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage.