Key Highlights
- Mother of five whose family relies on foodbanks despite her husband’s full-time work calls for scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
- The cap prevents most families from claiming means-tested benefits for any third or additional children born after April 2017.
- Ministers hint at potential changes to the policy in the upcoming Budget.
- Anti-poverty charity Trussell Trust claims that the two-child limit is “the single biggest driver of child poverty.”
The Struggle Behind the Two-Child Benefit Cap
Nicole, a mother-of-five from Greater Manchester, finds herself in a constant state of worry due to the government’s two-child benefit cap. Despite her husband working full-time and their family relying on foodbanks for essential needs, Nicole believes that scrapping this policy would be “life changing.” Her story is not unique; 59% of households affected by the policy are in work, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Impact on Nicole’s Family
Nicole shares her experience with the BBC. She left her job last year due to the cost of childcare and has struggled to find employment that fits around her son’s nursery schedule. Her family, including five children, now relies on foodbanks to make ends meet because their Universal Credit payments do not cover their whole family’s needs.
“I’ve been working since I was 13, I’ve always paid into the system and now when we need help, the system isn’t there for us,” Nicole said. The cost of living has increased significantly, making it even harder to make ends meet. “The living costs have just tripled and the wages have stayed the same,” she added. “Now it feels like you’re being punished for having children.”
The Policy’s Broader Impact
The two-child benefit cap, introduced in April 2017 by the previous Conservative government, affects approximately 1.6 million children living in larger families who cannot claim means-tested benefits for additional children.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves acknowledged that it is not right that children in bigger families are “penalised” through “no fault of their own.” She hinted that this policy could be changed during the upcoming Budget, indicating a potential shift in government strategy towards supporting larger families.
The Call for Change
Anti-poverty charity Trussell Trust is among those advocating for an end to the two-child limit. According to Helen Barnard, director of policy at Trussell, “the two-child limit is ‘the single biggest driver of child poverty’ and scrapping it would be the ‘morally right thing to do.'” The charity highlights that the policy pushes millions of families into deeper hardship and holds children back from having a good start in life.
“Every week, food banks in the Trussell community support parents who’ve been doing everything they can to protect their children from hunger,” Barnard said. “Skipping meals for weeks so there’s enough for the kids to eat, making games out of wrapping up in blankets to avoid turning on the heating, trying to pretend everything’s okay but it’s not okay.” These are real-life struggles that families face, and the impact on children is significant.
Government Response
A government spokesperson responded by stating: “Every child, no matter their background, deserves the best start in life. That’s why our Child Poverty Taskforce will publish an ambitious strategy to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty.” However, critics argue that this is not enough and that immediate changes are needed.
As the debate over the two-child benefit cap continues, Nicole’s story serves as a stark reminder of the human impact of such policies. The Budget could bring about significant changes for families like hers, but time will tell if these reforms will be enough to address child poverty effectively.
Nicole’s situation is just one example of how the two-child benefit cap affects real families. As the government considers its next steps, the focus must remain on ensuring that all children have the support they need for a better future.
