North East Child Poverty Commission renews calls for Government to scrap two-child benefit cap

A North East child poverty organisation has made renewed calls for the Government to scrap the two-child benefit cap after new figures show a record number of children in the region affected by the policy.

The two-child cap policy was introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017. It has meant that almost all families having a third or subsequent child – both in and out of work – are no longer entitled to receive support for those children through Universal Credit or Child Tax Credits.

The North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) said that this sees younger children missing out on up to £66 per week in support that their older siblings receive.

It has now called on the new Labour Government to scrap the policy adding that it would be the most effective way for the Government to tackle child poverty.

Chair of the North East Child Poverty Commission, Beth Farhat, said: "We have warmly welcomed the new Government’s commitment to introduce an ambitious national child poverty strategy.

"This is desperately needed, and it must recognise the importance of investing more of our nation’s wealth in children and families now, so that they can access opportunities both today and in the future.

"It must also be evidence-led, and it is increasingly clear that there is no route to ending child poverty – either in the North East or across the UK – that does not involve scrapping the two-child limit.

"The new Government must make this an early priority, if its child poverty plan is to be as meaningful as tens of thousands of kids growing up now in the North East need it to be."

Data released by the Department for Work and Pensions on Thursday 11 July shows that as of April 2024 – around 19,000 North East families were hit by the two-child limit, of which just over 13,000 live in the North East Combined Authority area and almost 6,000 live in Tees Valley.

This is an increase on the 17,550 households across the region the year before.

The NECPC said the new data indicates that around 62,000 babies, children and young people throughout the region are now living in families affected by the policy.

It also said there is an "extremely high" correlation between constituencies with the highest child poverty rates and those with the highest proportions of children affected by the two-child limit.

In the North East, 89% of all constituencies have at least one in four children growing up in poverty.

Work and Pensions Secretary of State Liz Kendall MP: “Too many children are growing up in poverty and this is a stain on our society.

“We will work to give every child the best start in life by delivering our manifesto commitment to implement an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty.

“I will hold critical meetings with charities and experts next week to get this urgent work under way.”

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