Scrapping two-child cap wouldn’t improve child poverty without end to benefit cap too
Ending the two-child limit wouldn’t be enough to lift young people out of poverty while the wider benefit cap is still in place, research shows.
The government is under pressure to scrap the two-child cap, which means households can only claim universal credit and child tax credits for up to two children.
The impact of the two-child cap
Ahead of July’s general election, research by Loughborough University found a strong link between child poverty and the two-child cap.
Over 30% of children live in poverty in the UK – the equivalent of nine children in every classroom. And official figures show 1.6 million children are being affected by this limit..
That’s why, along with many organisations, MPs and charities, we’ve been calling for an end to the two-child limit.
Double the trouble
But figures by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that even if the two-child limit were scrapped, 100,000 young people would still be living in poverty.
That’s because even if the two-child cap were scrapped, hundreds of thousands would continue to live in poverty due to the overall benefit cap.
This wider cap limits the total number of benefits that working-age households can get. The amount depends on where you live and your circumstances. Find out which benefits are affected by this cap here.
The most recent figures show 27,000 households claiming universal credit are being affected by both the two-child limit and the benefit cap.
But the total number of households is likely to be higher because DWP data doesn’t take into account those receiving old-style child tax credits and households in Northern Ireland.
Households affected by both caps lose an average of £273 a month, totalling £3,176 a year, the DWP figures show. And there are 4,120 households that miss out on more than £500 a month (£6,000 a year) due to the caps.
Do you need money help?
If you’re finding it hard to cover your bills and essentials, it might be time to ask for help.
We give advice online or you can give us a ring. We can help get you get back on track by creating a realistic budget, checking you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to or talking you through some debt solutions that might be suitable for you.
All our advice is free. Some debt solutions are free and others have a fee.
There’s lots of useful information on our website too.
Connie Enzler
With a master's in multimedia journalism and over five years' experience as a digital writer and podcast creator, Connie is committed to making personal finance news and information clear and accessible to everyone.
Related posts
09 Dec 2024
Addressing benefit fraud bill fear
06 Dec 2024
Many families are facing a real choice – keep Wi-Fi or buy food
05 Dec 2024
Simply having a job isn’t enough for many families
05 Dec 2024
The support is funded by the government’s household support fund