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Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Keir Starmer faces poverty grilling from top MPs amid call to axe DWP two-child benefit limit
Keir Starmer, who will appear at the Liaison Committee on Monday, has been warned that without scrapping the Tory-era two-child benefit limit he risks overseeing a rise in poverty Keir Starmer is set to face a grilling from MPs on levels of poverty amid fresh calls to axe the controversial two-child benefit limit. The Prime Minister, who will appear at the Liaison Committee on Monday, has insisted he will leave "no stone unturned" to tackle levels of child poverty But he faces warnings today that without scrapping the Tory-era two-child benefit limit he risks overseeing the first Labour government to see a "significant rise in child poverty". The policy, which has been blamed for trapping kids in poverty, restricts parents from claiming Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit for a third or subsequent child. Recently Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said scrapping the measure remains on the table as part of a delayed child poverty strategy. She said it will be "looking at every lever and we'll continue to look at every lever to lift children out of poverty". Monday's session will give MPs the chance to quiz Mr Starmer on the strategy. Dan Paskins, executive director at Save the Children, told The Mirror: "The Prime Minister has been clear that tackling child poverty is his government's moral mission. mExpanding free school meals and Best Start Family Hubs shows ambition but will not be enough to truly reduce the number of children growing up in hardship." He added: "Every day 109 more children are impacted by the two-child limit, facing growing up without enough to get by, simply because they have more siblings. The Prime Minister has a choice to make ahead of the Autumn Budget: scrap the two-child limit on Universal Credit in full or risk being the first Labour government to oversee a significant rise in child poverty." Alison Garnham, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, added: "The key question for the PM is given his government has a moral mission to reduce child poverty, will he now commit to scrapping the two-child limit in the autumn child poverty strategy as the most cost-effective way to get record child poverty down?" Speaking last month, Mr Starmer said: "I want to get to the root causes of child poverty. One of the greatest things the last Labour government did was to drive down child poverty. I am determined we will do that." MPs on the Liaison Committee include three senior Labour MPs - Debbie Abrahams, Helen Hayes, and Florence Eshalomi. All three signed an amendment to the welfare bill last month to block cuts to a key disability benefit - Personal Independence Payments (PIP). A government analysis of the reforms, which were eventually gutted in a major climbdown, had warned the cuts could result in 250,000 people being pushed into poverty.
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Early years teachers to get £4,500 bonus to work in nurseries in poorer areas
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson unveiled plans to fund tax-free payments for specialist teachers to end patchy provision and ensure every child has the chance to succeed Early years teachers will be given a £4,500 bonus to work in the most disadvantaged areas to help all children get the best start. As part of a major new blueprint, the Government will fund tax-free payments for specialist teachers to end patchy provision of high quality early years education. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson wants to stamp out inequalities faced by poorer kids by intervening early, so they aren't already behind their wealthier classmates when they start school. Only one in 10 nurseries in England currently have a specialists early years teacher, according to the Department for Education. The new £1.5billion strategy, published today, will seek to drive up quality in early education and end so-called childcare deserts where parents struggle to secure places. Officials said the £4,500 payment aims to keep 3,000 more teachers in nurseries, and will targeted at the 20 most disadvantaged communities in England. Ofsted will also inspect all new providers within 18 months of them opening from next April, with a shift towards inspections every four years for all nurseries, compared to the current six-year cycle. It comes after the Mirror revealed that ministers were introducing a revamped version of Sure Start - the family hubs introduced under Tony Blair's Labour government. Up to 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs will be rolled out in every local authority in England by next April to provide help with parenting skills, early development and childcare. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'My driving mission is to make sure every child has the chance to succeed no matter their background – and this new strategy will help give our youngest children the very best start in life. 'The best way of reducing inequalities is by tackling them early: that's why we're joining up family support services through our Best Start Family Hubs, driving up quality in our early years system and strengthening support for children as they enter primary school. 'These aren't luxuries. They are the essentials, and that is what this government will deliver as we fulfil our Plan for Change.' The "Best Start in Life" strategy will also include plans for a new professional register for early years staff and funding for early learning interventions in English and maths. There will also be cash to fund partnerships between nurseries and schools to make it easier for kids to transition to school. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: "We're clear that this strategy will only work if it is backed up with the tangible support - financial or otherwise - that early years providers and other bodies and professionals need to build an early years system that works for all families. "But after years of calling for a long-term vision for the early years, there's no doubt that this is a positive development, and we look forward to working with Government to turn vision into reality." Sarah Ronan, director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition, said it was "a turning point in how we value early education". "Change won't happen overnight but it starts today with a shared mission to give every child the best start in life," she said.
