Labour leader Starmer on Sunday confirmed he would retain the two-child limit, imposed by the Tories in 2013, despite growing calls from poverty campaigners for the cap to be abandoned.
The limit bars parents from claiming child tax credit or universal credit for any third or subsequent child born after April 2017.
The policy was introduced in an attempt to cut the welfare bill as well as to ‘encourage’ parents to work or to get better paid jobs. Yet, Department for Work and Pensions figures for 2022 show that the majority of families affected by the two-child limit for benefits are in work.
Affected low-income families are left at least £3,000 out of pocket. Larger families, and minority ethnic households, are disproportionately affected.
In 2022 some 359,000 families were affected by the 2-child policy. In Harrow, it is a significant problem, as confirmed by Department for Work and Pensions statistics which show Harrow in the top five of London boroughs most affected.
Children are badly hit as 36% of children in the borough lived in households with an income of less than 60% of the UK median after housing costs have been subtracted in 2020/21, and approximately, 6,100 children aged 0-5 years live in the 30% most deprived areas in Harrow.
“What this means is that lots of children in Harrow are going hungry. That their parents are stressed. That both parents and children are more likely to become unwell” points out concerned Pamela Fitzpatrick (photo), a previous socialist Harrow councillor and parliamentary candidate.
“We have three MPs representing the people in Harrow – two Tories, one Labour. All appear to be committed to ensuring the 2-child cap continues. It is perhaps hard for MPs to empathise with the level of poverty in their constituents as they have very large salaries, good pensions, many have additional income from rental properties and of course they have subsidised dining in Parliament” said Ms Fitzpatrick.
“We are constantly told there is no money. This of course is ridiculous. We remain one of the wealthiest economies in the world. Governments have vast sums to spend. The question is what they choose to spend the money on” she asks.
The limit bars parents from claiming child tax credit or universal credit for any third or subsequent child born after April 2017.
The policy was introduced in an attempt to cut the welfare bill as well as to ‘encourage’ parents to work or to get better paid jobs. Yet, Department for Work and Pensions figures for 2022 show that the majority of families affected by the two-child limit for benefits are in work.
Affected low-income families are left at least £3,000 out of pocket. Larger families, and minority ethnic households, are disproportionately affected.
In 2022 some 359,000 families were affected by the 2-child policy. In Harrow, it is a significant problem, as confirmed by Department for Work and Pensions statistics which show Harrow in the top five of London boroughs most affected.
Children are badly hit as 36% of children in the borough lived in households with an income of less than 60% of the UK median after housing costs have been subtracted in 2020/21, and approximately, 6,100 children aged 0-5 years live in the 30% most deprived areas in Harrow.
“What this means is that lots of children in Harrow are going hungry. That their parents are stressed. That both parents and children are more likely to become unwell” points out concerned Pamela Fitzpatrick (photo), a previous socialist Harrow councillor and parliamentary candidate.“We have three MPs representing the people in Harrow – two Tories, one Labour. All appear to be committed to ensuring the 2-child cap continues. It is perhaps hard for MPs to empathise with the level of poverty in their constituents as they have very large salaries, good pensions, many have additional income from rental properties and of course they have subsidised dining in Parliament” said Ms Fitzpatrick.
“We are constantly told there is no money. This of course is ridiculous. We remain one of the wealthiest economies in the world. Governments have vast sums to spend. The question is what they choose to spend the money on” she asks.
Harrow Monitoring Group 
Is capping child benefit in an apparently cash strapped economy which is busy funding wars abroad , another sinister way of emptying the holiday camp of the UK out of those who love wallowing in the generous freebies & handouts & attracted by it all?
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