Almost 8,000 children in Wiltshire impacted by “unfair” benefits policy
There are calls for the two-child limit on benefits to be scrapped
Almost 8,000 children in Wiltshire are impacted by a two-child limit on benefits, with charities warning it’s pushing more families into poverty.
Introduced in 2017, the policy affects families entitled to benefits who have had a third or subsequent child after 6 April 2017.
These parents are denied £3,235 per year per child compared with families who have a third or subsequent child born before that date.
Opposition leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has pledged to keep the policy if Labour win the next general election, despite widespread criticism.
The data has been obtained by the End Child Poverty Coalition, of which children’s charity Barnardo’s is a member.
Lynn Perry MBE, Barnardo’s Chief Executive, said the two-child limit is "one of the biggest policy drivers of poverty":
"It’s simply not right that children growing up with two or more siblings are so much more likely to be living in poverty. The majority of families receiving Universal Credit are in work, and many are struggling for reasons beyond their control - such as a family break-up, the death of a partner, or someone losing a job amid the cost-of-living crisis.
“The unfair two-child limit on benefits is one of the biggest policy drivers of child poverty. If political parties are serious about levelling-up they need to urgently commit to ending the policy. This needs to be included in the manifestos of all political parties ahead of the forthcoming election to help tackle child poverty in the UK.”
South West figures
The new research reveals 7,760 children in Wiltshire are impacted by the policy which has been branded as "unfair” by children’s charities.
Across the South West, 97,500 children are impacted by the two-child limit on benefits.
Bristol has the highest rate of children affected in the South West at 12%, while Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole have just 2% affected, the lowest percentage in the UK. In Wiltshire, it’s estimated the policy affects around 7% of all children in the county.
Figures also reveal a strong correlation between the nine per cent of children affected across the region and high rates of child poverty, even though the majority of parents are working.
One parent from Swindon said: “It makes things hard when a child asks to do things like dance or football as there isn't enough to support them. My oldest two stopped cadets and the other stopped football due to the cost.”
“Safeguards in place for the most vulnerable”, says Government
There are around 1.5 million children in the UK living in households subject to the two-child limit to benefit payments, and research by End Child Poverty Coalition shows the majority of families (58%) are already in work.
Research also suggests that scrapping the two-child limit is one of the most cost-effective ways of addressing child poverty. They estimate ending the policy would lift 250,000 children out of poverty at a cost of £1.3bn.
The Government has increased support for parents on Universal Credit with childcare costs, with parents being able to claim up to £951 for one child and £1,630 for two children.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said:
“The two-child policy asks families on benefits to make the same financial decisions as families supporting themselves solely through work. Safeguards are in place to protect people in the most vulnerable circumstances.
“There are 400,000 fewer children in absolute poverty than in 2010 and we are removing barriers to work for low-income parents, backed by £900 million. But we must balance welfare support alongside fairness to the taxpayer and working families who do not see their incomes rise when they have more children.”