Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Universal Credit: Two-child Limit

Monday 11 November 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department is assessing the merits of removing the two-child limit for universal credit.
  • The child poverty taskforce is exploring social security reform to reduce child poverty.
  • Labour will not promise changes to the two-child limit until they know how to fund it.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The Liberal Democrat MP questioned the government's approach to child poverty, referencing the two-child limit for universal credit which has affected many families.

Question

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of removing the two-child limit for universal credit?

Answer from Stephen Timms

The last Labour Government dramatically reduced child poverty, and we want to repeat their success. The child poverty taskforce is exploring how to harness all available levers, including social security reform, and it will publish its strategy next spring.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide an assessment of the merits or demerits of removing the two-child limit for universal credit specifically.

How: Referring To A Taskforce'S Work

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Q2 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The Liberal Democrat MP highlighted the negative impacts of child poverty on children's education, health, and vulnerability to criminal justice system involvement. She questioned why immediate action was not taken to remove the two-child limit for universal credit.

Question

Given that by the time the child poverty taskforce reports next spring, a further 16,000 children will have been dragged into poverty, and given the devastating impact that poverty can have on a child's education, their health and their vulnerability to the criminal justice system, why will the Minister not do the right thing and scrap the two-child benefit cap to lift 300,000 children out of poverty immediately?

Answer from Stephen Timms

The strategy will be very clear about how we will tackle the scourge of child poverty, and the hon. Lady is absolutely right to highlight the importance of doing that. Labour voted against the two-child limit, but we will not promise change until we know how we are going to pay for it. That will be addressed in the work of the taskforce, with the results published in the spring.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to scrapping the two-child limit and focused on future taskforce reports rather than immediate action.

How: Future Taskforce Reports

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