Should Welfare be cut for single mothers?

I think there are a lot of assumptions underpinning the question. In the UK all parents receive child support, single parents or otherwise. For richer parents this is a little extra, for those less well of it is vital. Giving it to everyone rather than means testing it helps to underpin the idea that raising children is something the state supports for any parent, regardless of wealth.

One common asumption is that providing money to poorer parents who don't work will only encourage them not to work and create a spiral of worklessness. While there are communities with families who haven't worked in literally generations, a quick look at countries without benefits nets will show that poverty traps exist there too and the need to take responsibility for your actions does anything but prevent the bearing of more children. In fact, the trend tends to be, that as country, or even individuals, wealth and aspiration rises the birth rate falls.

Those who would rather withdraw money from 'feckless' single mothers would probaby be uncomfortable with spendning more money on these mothers to give them more opportunities but the statistics seem to suggest this would be the bes way to prevent higher birth rates and more intergenerational poverty.