Keir Starmer has hinted that the two-child benefit limit may be removed during the upcoming Budget announcement. The Prime Minister expressed his personal commitment to reducing child poverty, which currently affects around 4.5 million children. He assured that a series of initiatives will be introduced to address this issue when the Chancellor presents the Budget on November 26.
This indication follows Rachel Reeves’ statement on Monday, suggesting the potential elimination of the two-child benefit limit imposed on Universal Credit recipients. Starmer emphasized his determination to decrease child poverty, citing past successful efforts by the Labour government and promising forthcoming actions to achieve this goal.
While existing initiatives like free school meals and childcare have been beneficial, Starmer stressed the need for additional measures to combat child poverty effectively. Regarding the two-child benefit limit, he affirmed that significant steps would be taken to address this issue.
The government under Starmer has been reviewing the Conservative policy introduced in 2017, with discussions on potentially revising the limit to three children. However, Reeves advocated for the complete abolition of the limit, echoing sentiments expressed by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The Chancellor highlighted the economic repercussions of unchecked child poverty, emphasizing that children should not suffer due to their parents’ financial circumstances. She underscored the importance of supporting families facing challenges such as illness or loss and reiterated the commitment to combating child poverty.
The Treasury indicated that the statements from Starmer and Reeves signaled a strong intention to address child poverty effectively.