Latest news with #ChildPovertyTaskForce
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Two-child benefit cap attacked by Labour minister in hint it could be scrapped
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, co-chair of the Government's Child Poverty Task Force, said the two-child benefit limit would not have been brought in under Labour and said it is 'clear' it is having an impact A Labour frontbencher has attacked the impact of the two-child benefit limit - in the strongest hint yet it could be ripped up. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it "was not something that a Labour government would have introduced" before saying it was "clear" it had an impact on child poverty. Ms Phillipson, who co-chairs the Government's Child Poverty Task Force, said she is looking at "every way in which can lift more children out of poverty". Ministers face growing calls to tear up the controversial policy, which restricts Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit to the first two children in a household. Ms Phillipson said: "The two child limit was not something that a Labour government would have introduced. "It was a measure introduced by the Conservative Party. It's clear it's had a significant impact.." The Education Secretary said she and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, her fellow co-chair, are looking at how social security measures can bring rates down. She said: "As part of the work that I'm doing together with the Work and Pensions Secretary, we're looking at every way in which we can lift more children out of poverty. "So all areas are under consideration, including social security measures." Think-tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has estimated that half a million children could be lifted out of poverty if the two-child limit was scrapped. The policy, drawn up by Tory austerity Chancellor George Osborne, came into effect in 2017. Ms Phillipson said: "Child poverty is a scar on this country it devastates childrens' life chances but it damages all of us and we're all poorer as a result of so many children growing up in poverty." The Government's strategy was expected to be presented in the spring, but is now not set to be released until later this year. "We'll publish the child poverty strategy later this year. We want to make sure it's thorough and comprehensive and addresses all of the challenges we face, but also demonstrates clear Government action to bring down child poverty. "Of course, we're not waiting around for the child poverty strategy. I was delighted to be able to announce the expansion of free school meals eligibility to all families on Universal Credit, and that will lift at least 200,000 children out of poverty. "It will benefit more than half a million children, and it puts money directly back in the parents pockets. So that is I'm delighted we were able to deliver that, because I know it will make a really big difference to parents, to children, but also to schools as well, because what they tell me is that the damage that poverty causes affects children's ability to learn. "So that is the difference that a Labour Government is able to make within the first year." Ms Phillipson also pointed to free breakfast clubs being rolled out across the country, as well as school-based nurseries providing more childcare places, and a cut in the cost of school uniforms. "These are all practical measures that will help parents, but also will deliver better outcomes for children," she said. But the Government faces criticism after its own data suggested 50,000 children could be pushed into relative poverty by 2030 as a result of welfare cuts. " What the data doesn't take into account is the extra support that we're putting in place around supporting people back into work," she said. "It also doesn't account for the changes that we've made around free school meals. "So as a government, we are committed to bringing down the number of children growing up in poverty."
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Two-child benefit cap closer ‘to being lifted' to stop growing Labour rebellion
SCRAPPING the two child benefit cap is an option "on the table" for the Treasury, Bridget Phillipson admitted today. The Education Secretary gave one of the biggest hints yet that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will lift the threshold on claiming handouts for kids in a bid to placate a growing Labour rebellion. 1 Asked whether ministers are planning to abolish the cap, Ms Phillipson told Times Radio: "It's on the table. "No measures are off the table." The Education Secretary added: "We've always been clear about that and of course social security is an important element of how we tackle child poverty. "It's not the only area. Childcare plays an important role, skills, how we ensure that more people are able to get back into work. "There are lots of ways that the Child Poverty Task Force is considering how we can lift children out of poverty. "But of course we can't ignore the impact of social security changes, social security changes that were introduced by the Conservatives that a Labour government would not have introduced in the first place. "But it's tough, it's challenging." Who's exempt from the two-child benefit cap? The two-child benefit cap means that you can only get more child tax credit or Universal Credit for your third (or more) child if: They were born before April 6, 2017 They are disabled (disabled child element only) You qualify for an exception in child tax credit or special circumstances apply in Universal Credit You qualify for an exception or special circumstances for each third (or subsequent) child if: You have adopted them or other children in your household You receive guardian's allowance for them or other children in your household They are the second (or more) child born in a multiple-birth They or other children in your household are the offspring of one of your children who is under 16 years old They or other children in your household are not your child or stepchild, and you look after them under a court order They or other children in your household are not your child or stepchild and you look after them under an arrangement with Social Services (except for formal foster care) They were conceived as a result of rape, and you do not live with the perpetrator Ms Reeves is under huge pressure from Labour figures - including Gordon Brown - to lift the 2 child benefit cap, which limits the full benefits parents can get to two children. Sir Keir Starmer is looking at lifting the cap after a revolt from his MPs - but it would cost around £3 billion a year. With Treasury coffers running low, No11 is expected to have to raise taxes to pay for the benefit. Senior Labour MP Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the powerful Treasury select committee, became the latest to come out backing lifting the cap. She told the BBC that it's the most efficient way to lift kids out of child poverty. She said: 'The only way we will lift children out of poverty in those households is to get that money to them. 'No Labour MP wants child poverty to go up by the end of the parliament.' How to claim Child Benefit Read below if you would like more information on how to claim child benefit. Child benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for your first or only child and up to £881 a year for additional children. This works out at £102.40 every four weeks or £25.60 a week for your first child and £67.80 every 4 weeks or £16.95 a week for their siblings. There is no limit on the number of children that can be claimed for. Applying is straightforward and can be done in minutes at or through the HMRC app. Parents with a newborn baby should make a claim online as soon as possible and could then receive their first payment in as little as three days. You can also backdate claims for up to three months. Parents can make a claim and then choose to opt out of receiving Child Benefit payments can still receive National Insurance credits if one parent is not working. National Insurance credits build up your entitlement to the state pension. Yesterday Deputy PM Angela Rayner said lifting the two-child benefit cap is not a "silver bullet" answer to help struggling families. The Labour deputy leader told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: "It's not going to alleviate the levels of poverty there is." She added: "It might be a signal but it's not a silver bullet. "It's not going to alleviate the levels of poverty there is - there's a number of factors - people's wages not increasing, their employment being insecure, the cost of living crisis that we face, bills going up, and the housing costs going up. "So, it's not one particular element that is going to safeguard people from the poverty we've seen after 14 years of the Conservatives."
