The House Article | We should be proud that the two-child benefit cap is finally gone

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I have never met a poor person who chose to be poor. Who would? Certainly not my parents, as recession wrecked their efforts to set up a small business. Certainly not me as a teenager, or my younger sisters, on free school meals at times, running out to a newspaper round at 5am, so that my parents wouldn’t have to give me pocket money.  

That was the 1980s, when life was tough for many. Today, millions of children are still struggling. The cost-of-living crisis is biting. And with energy costs rising due to the war in Iran, many families need help.  

As challenging for children and their families is the tone of the public debate on poverty. Vulnerable people on benefits – often women – have been shamed to generate media clicks and controversy. Cruel online comments simply ignore the fact that children have no choice over their circumstances. They ignore the fact that the welfare state is a critical investment in our young people and our country’s future. 

But for a moment today (Monday), amid the noise and misinformation around welfare, we should mark the progress that is being made. 

The two-child limit to benefits, which capped how much families with three or more children could receive, has been removed after nine long years. Families on the lowest incomes will start getting additional payments from this month and next. Lucy*, who has three children and works full-time between 10am and 3pm, said she wept when the government announced the policy change. “A huge weight was lifted. When the changes happen, I’ll be able to give my children a bit more and not struggle so much.” 

Limiting benefits to just two children left more than 100 kids a day tipping into poverty. The impacts of that poverty can be felt over a lifetime, with poorer health outcomes, educational standards and job prospects. Save the Children and other children’s charities campaigned to change the policy, and today we can be proud that by the end of this Parliament, 450,000 children will be lifted out of poverty — the largest number of children taken out of poverty in a generation. And fewer children will fall into poverty in future. 

 

While it’s not the end of the story, it’s a decent start. The expansion of free school meals, breakfast clubs and additional energy bill support will help thousands more of the poorest families. This should be celebrated as progress in an economic climate where, no matter how many hours they work, some parents need help to make ends meet. 

Mum-of-four Lisa from Tameside told me she plans to spend the additional money on after-school activities. “My daughters love to dance, but I have never been able to afford to take them to classes, as I didn’t want to disappoint them when I couldn’t afford to pay for dance outfits or pay for competitions. I am also going to pay for my son to be able to go on a school trip that we would not have been able to afford.”  

Sammie has three children aged six, three and four months. She lives in Newport and her partner is a lorry driver. They often struggle to live off his wage. She said that with the limit gone, his wage will go further, meaning they won’t fall short on rent.  Another mum told me that she thinks she will be able to get back to work in the future, knowing her income will stretch further.   

Everyone is entitled to their views, but let me suggest that children should never be penalised or used as a political football due to the circumstances of their birth. As a society, we should be clear that children deserve the basics: food, heating and decent clothing. The opportunity of a decent future. Scrapping the two-child limit to benefits marks the start of a more positive journey for hundreds of thousands of children.  

Let’s celebrate this today, not scapegoat poor children and their parents. Everyone wants a better future for their children. Kids in poverty are no different to mine and yours – they should have the chance to learn, play and grow without worry. Let’s challenge our political leaders to keep their promises to drive down child poverty. Let’s give our children across the UK the future they deserve.  

Moazzam Malik is CEO of Save The Children