New figures reveal that the two-child benefit cap affects about 440,000 families in the UK, as pressure grows on the new Labour government to end the “cruel” policy.
Controversial Two-child Benefit Cap Sparks Criticism and Calls for Reform
Recent research from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reveals that over 1.4 million children risk being excluded from support due to the Two Child limit, a policy heavily criticized by many charities.
The restriction, described as “one of the cruellest welfare policies of the past decade,” implies that benefit-claiming families who have a third child or more after April 2017 will receive at least £3,000 less than those whose children were born earlier.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has ignored requests to cancel the two-child limit, despite Labour’s dedication to addressing child poverty.
Liz Kendall, work and pensions secretary, stated: “Too many children are growing up in poverty and this is a stain on our society.
“We will work to give every child the best start in life by delivering our manifesto commitment to implement an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty. I will hold critical meetings with charities and experts next week to get this urgent work under way.”
Impact of Two-Child Cap on Working Families and Single Parents
According to the Child Poverty Action Group, nearly half (45%) of families stated that the policy makes it difficult for them to pay their mortgage or rent. A comparable percentage (46%) finds it difficult to budget for childcare.
A working mother stated: “My number one reason for doing anything is my children, yet when I watch them queuing in a food bank with me because I physically can’t provide for them, I feel horrific, it makes you feel like an absolute failure.”
In this context, Joseph Howes, End Child Poverty Coalition and chief executive of Buttle UK stated: “The two-child limit just has to go. If the aim is to reduce child poverty, there is no way for the new Labour government to keep this policy in place when the evidence shows that the number of children impacted is increasing year on year.
“Children living in poverty cannot wait any longer – this shameful policy must be scrapped, the time for action is now.”
52% of households affected by this policy are single-parent households, while in the general population, only 16% of households are headed by a single parent, with the majority of these being women.
Becca Lyon, head of UK Child Poverty at Save the Children, declared: “It is an outrage that 440,000 families are denied vital support because of the unfair two-child limit, a rise of over 30,000 since last year.
“More and more children will suffer every year just because they have siblings, unless the UK government acts now. The cruel two-child benefit cap should be scrapped immediately to prevent families from facing hardship and destitution.”
