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Daily Record
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
More than 1.6m kids across the UK hit by two-child benefit cap, DWP figures show
Numbers from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed that the number had increased by almost 40,000 in just a year. More than 1.6 million kids across the UK have been hit by the two-child benefit cap, official figures show. Numbers from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed that the number had increased by almost 40,000 in just a year. The limit was introduced by the previous Tory Government and restricts access to some means-tested benefits to two kids. The Scottish Government has pledged to scrap the cap before next year's Holyrood election, after Labour Prime minister refused to do so. Scottish labour opposes the policy. More than 13,000 more households have been hit by the benefit limit in the past 12 months. This means that nearly half a million families are impacted overall. SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Kirsty Blackman said: "It's shameful that almost 1.7million children are now being hit by the Labour Party's two child benefit cap - with thousands of families languishing in poverty as a result. "This punitive welfare policy should have been scrapped on the first day Keir Starmer got into Downing Street but instead the Labour government has disgracefully pushed thousands more children into poverty by failing to lift a finger." The cap was introduced in 2017 to stop parents claiming benefits for more than two children. Recent reports have suggested Labour could get rid of the limit when it releases its child poverty strategy later this year. But the U-turn on benefit cuts has meant that the government now has to plug a £5 billion gap in the country's finances. Dan Paskins, executive director of policy at Save the Children UK, said: 'Behind every number is a child missing out on essentials like food, clothing and a decent home, through no fault of their own. 'No child should be treated as less deserving simply because of when they were born. There is no way to reduce child poverty in this parliament without scrapping the two-child limit. 'The government must do the right thing and abolish the two-child limit, or risk being the first Labour Government to oversee a significant rise in child poverty.'
Scottish Sun
27-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Labour rebels who forced Keir Starmer into a U-turn set to demand axe to two-child benefit cap
The reforms are expected to pass next Tuesday 'dog's dinner' Labour rebels who forced Keir Starmer into a U-turn set to demand axe to two-child benefit cap Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LABOUR rebels who forced Sir Keir Starmer into a U-turn are to demand the two-child benefit cap is axed. The PM faces the fresh test after watering down a £5billion savings package amid backbench unrest. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 1 126 Labour MPs threatened to scupper the moves Credit: PA People down south currently receiving Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit will continue to get them, with the cuts only hitting new claimants. The Labour Government made the concession after 126 Labour MPs threatened to scupper the moves. The reforms are expected to pass next Tuesday but experts warned tax rises may be needed to afford them. And it emerged Labour rebels now have the two-child cap in their sights. It follows an earlier climbdown on winter fuel payments. The PIP changes don't affect Scots as it has been replaced here by the Adult Disability Payment. But Nats ministers could be boosted by extra cash freed up by the U-turn — as the SNP pushes ahead with £150million plans to scrap the two-child cap in Scotland. Nats MP Kirsty Blackman accused Labour of creating 'a dog's dinner of a system' down south that punishes the young and newly disabled. She said: 'If these cuts go ahead, they'll embed discrimination, creating an unfair two-tier system. The SNP Scottish Government is clear it won't follow these discriminatory, two-tier disability cuts.' Labour peer Lord Hutton accused Sir Keir of putting 'party before country' by caving in to rebels'. Keir Starmer 'to BACK DOWN' on benefits cuts as he faces major revolt from MPs But Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall downplayed Labour splits, insisting: 'We have listened to people.' No10 claimed there would be no 'permanent' increase in borrowing as a result of the U-turn but declined to rule out tax rises to fund it.
Daily Record
23-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Labour minister suggests UK Government could copy Scottish Child Payment
Employment minister Alison McGovern said "all levers are very much on the table" when asked if her government was considering raising the child element of universal credit to the same rate as the SCP. A Labour minister has suggested that the UK Government could copy the Scottish Child Payment (SCP). Employment minister Alison McGovern said "all levers are very much on the table" when asked if her government was considering raising the child element of universal credit to the same rate as the SCP. SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said during Work and Pensions questions in the House of Commons on Monday: "Matching the Scottish Child Payment by raising the child element of Universal Credit would bring more than half a million children out of poverty. "The Secretary of State has been clear that there are a lot of issues that are being considered as part of the child poverty taskforce. "Would raising the child element of Universal Credit to the level of the Scottish Child Payment be one of those matters?" Employment minister Alison McGovern said: "At risk of boring the House, all levers are very much on the table when it comes to getting our kids out of poverty." The SCP is currently set at £27.15 a week and is paid for every child in eligible low income families. It has been hailed as one of the successes of the Scottish Government over recent years by keeping kids out of poverty. Aberdeen North MP Blackman said afterwards: 'The Scottish Child Payment lifts tens of thousands of kids out of poverty so if the Labour Government shares that ambition then replicating it is an absolute no brainer. 'Rather than plotting a scheme to slash payments for disabled people, the Labour Government should look to Scotland for its example on lifting families out of poverty – instead they persist on dipping into the Tory playbook of hammering the most vulnerable. 'It was welcome to hear the Minister say all options remain on the table, but sadly the people who sit round that table previously robbed pensioners of their Winter Fuel Payment, betrayed the WASPI women and enforced the two child benefit cap. 'If the Labour Government copied measures taken by the SNP Scottish Government they'd lift nearly 2 million people out of poverty – that's the fact of the matter, but I won't be holding my breath.' The child poverty taskforce will publish a report which will outline the UK Government's child poverty strategy later this year.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
SNP opposition to new nuclear power stations ‘makes no sense', says Miliband
Scotland will not get a 'golden age of nuclear' while the SNP holds firm in its opposition to new nuclear power stations, Ed Miliband has said. The Energy Secretary said Holyrood's position 'makes no sense', as Labour MP Gregor Poynton claimed the policy had cost workers and taxpayers north of the border 'billions of pounds of investment and thousands of high-skilled jobs'. SNP MP Kirsty Blackman described the UK Government's new £14.2 billion investment into Sizewell C in Suffolk as a 'splurge', when she pressed Mr Miliband on whether the Government will back the Acorn carbon capture and storage project. Mr Miliband said the Sizewell development along East Anglia's North Sea coastline will 'power the equivalent of around six million homes with clean homegrown energy for 60 years, and it will be a jobs and growth engine for Britain, supporting 10,000 jobs in the peak construction and creating 1,500 apprenticeships'. It is one of several nuclear projects which the Government has backed, which also include a prototype fusion plant at West Burton, Nottinghamshire, and a partnership between Rolls-Royce and Great British Energy – Nuclear to rollout small modular reactors. Mr Poynton, the MP for Livingston, told the Commons: 'Scotland was once a pioneer in nuclear energy and should be again, but due to the SNP Scottish Government's outdated, backward, quite frankly bizarre opposition to nuclear energy, turning away billions of pounds of investment and thousands of high-skilled jobs. 'So, does the Secretary of State agree with me this is yet another way the SNP Scottish Government has lost their way?' Mr Miliband replied that Mr Poynton was 'so right', and added: 'People in Scotland will be looking at these announcements and saying, 'well why isn't it us that are benefitting from this? Why are we not even in the race?'' The Scottish Government, led by SNP First Minister John Swinney, has a policy of opposing the building of new nuclear power stations. Lillian Jones, the Labour MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, criticised the position as an 'ideological block on nuclear power, blocking billions in investment, blocking thousands of well-paid, secure Scottish jobs, and blocking growth'. In his response, Mr Miliband said: 'We can announce a golden age of nuclear with our investments but not in Scotland, because of the position of the SNP Government. 'It makes no sense.' Aberdeen North MP Ms Blackman had earlier said: 'This £14 billion splurge on English nuclear power plants comes on top of £22 billion for English carbon capture and storage, while there's nothing for Scotland's Acorn project. 'With Grangemouth (oil refinery) allowed to close, with a fiscal regime that is ruining north-east energy jobs, this latest announcement shows that Scotland isn't just an afterthought, it isn't a thought at all. 'If nearly £40 billion can be found for English energy projects, why is it that money is never found for Scotland's carbon capture project?' Mr Miliband replied: 'Well look, I think maybe there is an SNP change in position coming. If she wants to have a conversation about Scottish nuclear power stations, then absolutely. 'We're in favour of the Acorn project and we'll be saying more about this in the coming weeks. 'But let me just say to her – on nuclear power, they've really got to think again. 'They are absolutely sticking their heads in the sand when it comes to this. This is about jobs, it's about investment, it's about clean energy, they should really rethink.' In an earlier statement, Mr Miliband said: 'The Government is taking decisive steps today to usher in a new golden age of nuclear for Britain.' He added: 'For too long, our country has not made the crucial energy – or indeed other infrastructure investments – we need. A short-sighted failure to invest for which the British people have paid the price in lower living standards, insecurity and declining public services. 'This week's announcements symbolise a decisive change in approach, to invest in the future – the right choice for energy security, the right choice for jobs, the right choice for climate and our children and grandchildren, the right choice for Britain, investment, not decline. 'This Government has made its choice.' The Energy Secretary's comments came as leaders of the GMB Scotland union urged the Scottish Government to rethink its opposition to new nuclear power stations north of the border. The nuclear industry already supports almost 3,700 jobs in Scotland, adding £400 million to the economy, the union said. But it said more could be achieved if SNP ministers would back the construction of new power stations. Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, said: 'New nuclear can help provide a baseload of safe, clean and secure energy while creating thousands of skilled, well-paid, unionised jobs in Scotland. 'The Holyrood Government's absolute refusal to seriously consider its potential is an abdication of responsibility and needs to change. 'It makes no sense if ministers want to achieve net-zero targets and it makes no sense if they want Scotland's economy to grow again.' But a Scottish Government spokesperson said that 'our position is now changing'. The Holyrood administration has been 'tremendously successful in attracting renewables investment in Scotland', the spokesperson said. 'That is because there has been a clear policy direction from the Scottish Government.'
STV News
09-06-2025
- Business
- STV News
SNP calls on Labour to match Scottish Government action on poverty
Almost two million families would be lifted out of poverty if Labour matched Scottish Government action on the issue, the SNP has claimed. Ahead of the UK spending review, the SNP asked the House of Commons Library to produce an independent analysis on the number of British children in poverty and the impact that replicating Scottish Government policies across the UK would have. The research showed 1.83 million families would be lifted out of poverty if policies were matched, including abolishing the two-child benefit cap, scrapping the bedroom tax and raising the child element of Universal Credit to match the Scottish child payment, according to the SNP. Statistics showed a third of British children were anticipated to be living in poverty by 2029-30 unless action was taken. Sir Keir Starmer was urged to act on the figures ahead of the UK spending review on Wednesday amid warnings the number of British children living in poverty is expected to rise to a record 4.6 million by 2029-30. Over the past decade, the number of children living in poverty has risen from 3.7 million (27%) in 2013/14 to 4.5 million (31%) in 2023/24, the SNP said. The SNP said Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling, due to 'bold' policies such as the Scottish child payment of £27.15 per child, per week, paid in addition to other benefits. Replicating it UK-wide, by raising the child element of Universal Credit by the same amount, would lift 732,000 families out of poverty, including a further 38,000 families in Scotland, analysis showed. The SNP said it has also mitigated the bedroom tax and is in the process of ending the two-child benefit cap in Scotland. It said replicating the policies would lift a further 609,000 British families out of poverty, with the combined impact of introducing all three policies lifting 1.83 million families out of poverty, including a further 75,000 in Scotland. The UK Government delayed its child poverty taskforce review to the autumn and last year Labour MPs voted against abolishing the two-child benefit cap, in a motion tabled by the SNP. The Chancellor has previously rejected proposals to abolish the bedroom tax. The SNP said the UK Government's own impact analysis showed planned cuts to disability benefits will push 250,000 more people into poverty, including 50,000 children, with families losing out on £4,500 a year on average as a result of the cuts, branding it 'shameful'. SNP work and pensions spokeswoman Kirsty Blackman MP said: 'The evidence shows Keir Starmer's Labour Government is keeping almost two million families in poverty by failing to match SNP action across the UK. 'It's shameful that UK child poverty is rising to record levels under the Labour Government, which has pushed thousands more children into deprivation by imposing punitive welfare cuts. 'It's vital that the Prime Minister finally listens to families struggling with the soaring cost of living – and takes the long-overdue action needed to end child poverty at the UK spending review this week. 'That means abandoning the devastating austerity cuts to disabled families, matching the Scottish child payment UK-wide, abolishing the bedroom tax and scrapping the two-child limit and benefit cap. 'With 4.5 million children living in poverty in the UK, only bold and immediate action will do. 'The two-child benefit cap and bedroom tax must be abolished immediately, but that alone isn't enough to end child poverty. It's vital the Labour Government matches the Scottish child payment by raising the child element of Universal Credit across the UK. 'Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling – and families receive the best cost-of-living help of anywhere in the UK. 'Westminster must match this action – or it will leave millions more children languishing in poverty.' A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We are determined to bring down child poverty and we have already expanded free breakfast clubs, increased the national minimum wage for those on the lowest incomes, uprated benefits in April and supported 700,000 of the poorest families by introducing a fair repayment rate on universal credit deductions. 'We will also publish an ambitious child poverty strategy later this year to ensure we deliver fully funded measures that tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty across the country.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
