Up to 1.5 million children will benefit from the removal of the Tory two-child benefit limit starting today, marking a significant milestone for campaigners. The previous rules, which were criticized for pushing 100 children into poverty daily, have now been eliminated. This move is expected to lift around half a million children out of poverty, despite opposition from the Conservatives and Reform parties.
The policy, which restricted benefits like Universal Credit to a family’s first two children, will no longer be in effect. Mark Russell, the chief executive of The Children’s Society, emphasized the positive impact of ending the two-child limit, stating that it will positively change the lives of many families across the country.
Angi Gibson, headteacher at Hadrian Park Primary School, highlighted the immediate difference this change will make for families and children. Helen Barnard, director of policy and research at the foodbank charity Trussell, also expressed optimism about the impact of lifting the two-child limit on families and the support services available to them.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the full scrapping of the two-child limit in her November Budget, with research indicating that a significant number of affected children live in households with at least one working member. The Labour party views this move as a crucial step in reducing child poverty and offering necessary support to families in need.
Employment minister Dame Diana Johnson emphasized the importance of removing the two-child limit to provide greater security and opportunities for hundreds of thousands of children. This change aims to break the cycle of a child’s background determining their future prospects, bringing society a step closer to achieving this goal.