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A coalition of 101 organisations, including Christians, has called on the government to abolish the two-child limit on benefits in full, warning that “half-measures” will fail to lift families out of poverty.
The joint letter was issued as the government is set to reach a final verdict on the future of the policy ahead of the Autumn Budget.
Introduced in 2017, the two-child limit restricts universal and tax credit support to a family’s first two children.
Campaigners say it is one of the most significant drivers of child poverty in the UK, affecting an estimated 1.6 million children.
In their statement, the organisations urged the Chancellor to use the upcoming Budget to abolish the limit entirely, calling it a chance to “deliver a decisive shift in children’s opportunities, and in our country’s future potential.”
“Every day the two-child limit remains, in any form, it pushes children into poverty. Now is not the time for half-measures,” the statement reads.
“Abolishing the policy in full will set millions of children’s lives on a path to a brighter future, and help to rebuild a stronger, fairer economy.”
According to analysis by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), 109 children are pushed into poverty every day because of the policy.
The charity says getting rid of the limit could immediately relieve 400,000 children of poverty and reduce hardship for another 700,000.
CPAG chief executive Alison Garnham said: “Government wants to reduce child poverty but until the two-child limit is abolished in full its efforts will be hamstrung. This is a one-time chance to make the big difference needed for children. The policy must be scrapped in the Budget before more children have their life chances stunted.”
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has also cautioned against the growing link between poverty and poor children’s health.
Its president, Professor Steve Turner, warned that financial pressures are preventing children from accessing healthcare and leading to a rise in poverty-related illnesses.
“If the government is serious about raising the healthiest generation of children ever, we must see the end of the two-child limit,” he stated.
Other organisations signing the letter include Church Action on Poverty, the British Medical Association, Save the Children UK, Citizens Advice, and the National Association of Headteachers.
The letter also highlighted the ripple effects of child poverty on education, housing and local economies.
Representing the Chartered Institute of Housing, Rachael Williamson said removing the cap would help families struggling to afford homes and reduce long-term social costs.
“A safe, secure and affordable home is the foundation every child needs to thrive,” she said.
“Abolishing the two-child limit would make a real difference to families struggling … We support this call for change and urge the government to take this opportunity to invest in a fairer future for every child.”
The general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, Paul Whiteman, said the effects of the policy were visible in classrooms across the country.
“So many of the challenges holding children back at school have their roots in poverty and disadvantage,” he said.
“Addressing child poverty has to be a fundamental part of that. It is what will make the biggest difference to a child’s life chances.”
The coalition’s letter frames the upcoming Budget as a critical opportunity for the government to turn the tide on child poverty, which has reached record highs.
They argue that reversing the two-child limit is not only morally right but also economically sound, boosting family incomes and easing pressure on “schools, hospitals and other public services.”
“Now is the moment for the Prime Minister and Chancellor to hear the voices of the UK’s children and take this vital opportunity to do the right thing,” the statement concludes.
