Tynwald has approved further tweaks to pending changes to benefits for low income families.

Changes to Employed Person’s Allowance which mean that lone parents and couples will have to work longer hours to be eligible will come in from June 2 next year.

Tynwald approved the move at its sitting in May.

Now the court has approved further amendments that mean time spent in work-related education and training will count towards those extra hours.

Transitional measures to ensure claimants are no worse off under the new arrangement have also been brought forward to December 1.

There was outcry when the planned changes to EPA - which affect scores of lone parents - were first announced at the beginning of the year.

They were withdrawn at the 11th hour following concern over their impact.

Under the original plan, lone parents with children over 13 would have had to work almost twice the hours - rising from the current 16 hours to 30 - before they are eligible to apply.

But that minimum work requirement was reduced to 24 hours under revised proposals approved in May.

The May Tynwald also approved provision for couples to be able to add together the hours they work to meet the minimum requirement to qualify for EPA.

Changes approved by Tynwald this week will allow claimants whose minimum work requirements will increase from June 2 to add their, and their partner’s, work-related training and education hours to their work hours to help them meet the increased minimum work requirements. But they or their partner must work for at least the minimum 16 hours that they are required to work under current rules.

Transitional measures approved in May ensured the lone parents or couples are no worse off overall by working additional hours, for instance if they have to pay extra travel or childcare costs.

A further tweak backed by Tynwald this week brings that ’transitional addition’ brought forward to December 1.

The minimum work requirement for couples, irrespective of the age of their youngest child, is currently 30 hours which must be worked by either or both partners.

But under the proposals, couples will have to work a total of 35 hours between them if their youngest child is under six or 48 hours if aged six or over.

Couples where one partner or their child is disabled, incapacitated for at least 30 days or six-months pregnant, will have to work 35 hours, irrespective of the ages of their children. It’s an increase of five hours.

There is no change to the current 16-hour minimum for carers of a severely disabled person or disabled workers.

Other changes to benefits for lone parents come in on April 2 next year and will mean they will no longer be able to claim income support if their youngest child is six or over. They can currently claim if they have children under 12.