More single-parent families rely on welfare in Swiss cities

More single-parent households in Swiss cities are relying on social assistance, according to a report published Tuesday by the Urban Social Policy Initiative and reported by SRF. In many cities, around one in four households headed by a lone parent with minor children receives support. Most are mothers and their children.

Their share of all minors receiving social assistance rose from 52 per cent in 2010 to 59 per cent. The poverty risk for single-parent households is almost five times that of all households.

Single parents are more likely to be employed than social assistance recipients without children, but their earnings often do not cover family expenses. The report says many receive assistance to top up their wages. Financial and health pressures, as well as difficulties balancing work and family life, can compound one another, said study author Michelle Beyeler of the University of Zurich.

A lack of recognised qualifications is a key reason some people need support for years. Seventy per cent of single parents receiving social assistance have no recognised qualification, Beyeler said, and going back to training can be difficult. Social services also report a shortage of suitable training programmes.

Childcare is another obstacle. More than half of social services report a shortage of available places, while many childcare centres close in the early evening. Single parents often work in retail, hospitality or care, including at evenings or weekends, when childcare may not be available.

Cities have had good results with supplementary family benefits, which can shorten the time people spend on social assistance, said Nicolas Galladé, president of the initiative. It said support for single-parent families also requires changes to family, education and housing policies.

The social assistance rate across the 14 cities included in the report was 3.9 per cent in 2025, stable overall and slightly lower than the previous year. The initiative has compared figures from 14 cities annually since 1999, using Swiss social assistance statistics. The statistics are being modernised, so some changes are currently of limited significance.