Scotland's child poverty campaigners hail two-child limit abolition

Welcoming the Chancellor’s Budget announcement that the two-child limit will be removed from April, John Dickie, Director of Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said:

“Scrapping the two-child limit will be transformational for children. This is a much-needed fresh start in efforts to eradicate child poverty across the UK and, while there is more to do, it gives strong foundations to build on. Every child deserves the best start in life and with today’s decision the UK government has done the right thing.”

Boost Scottish social security for families

End Child Poverty campaigners urged Holyrood government to use ‘freed up’ money to further boost Scottish social security for families

Speaking on behalf of members of End Child Poverty in Scotland, John Dickie said;

"The UK Chancellor’s decision to scrap the cruel two-child limit is absolutely the right thing to do. The Scottish government has committed to mitigating the two-child limit so the very welcome decision to abolish the policy at source frees up over £150 million in the 2026/27 Scottish budget. Ministers have already promised to use this money to tackle child poverty and we urge them to use it to further boost Scottish social security for families, for example by increasing the Scottish Child Payment toward the £40 a week that is needed by the end of this Parliament. It is vital that the money freed up today is spent on increased social security support and that it adds to existing commitments to fund the childcare, whole family support, employment and housing that are also crucial to families."

Members of End Child Poverty in Scotland include Aberlour, Barnardo's Scotland,

Citizens Advice Scotland, CELCIS, Children First, Children in Scotland, CPAG in Scotland, Home-Start UK, Includem, NSPCC, Oxfam Scotland, Parenting Across Scotland, The Poverty Alliance, One Parent Families Scotland, Save the Children, The Scottish Pantry Network, Shelter Scotland, Trussell.

Ends

Contact

For further comment please contact John Dickie, Director of CPAG in Scotland, on 07795 340 618

Notes for editors

  1. ‘Over £150m’ based on Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts. Offsetting the £155m cost of two child limit mitigation payments Fraser of Allander analysis suggests £34 million will be required to fund discretionary housing payments for the additional families who are hit by the benefit cap as a result of a two child limit abolition (unless it is also abolished), and the widened Scottish child payment eligibility as more families become eligible for universal credit (the main passport to Scottish child payment).
  2. CPAG modelling suggests a £40 per week per child Scottish child payment would reduce the number of children in poverty by 15,000 (one to two percentage points) at a cost of £190m. £155m, as currently earmarked for two child mitigation, would enable the payment to be increased to £37.50, in itself lifting 10 000 children out of poverty. ( The calculations come from  UKMOD version B1.11 UKMOD is maintained, developed and managed by the Centre for Microsimulation and Policy Analysis (CeMPA) at the University of Essex. The results and their interpretation are the author’s sole responsibility. The cost has been given in 2025/26 prices.)
  3. Fraser of Allander modelling suggest a £35 Scottish child payment would cost around £121 million and reduce child poverty by one percentage point. Also see End Child Poverty coalition Programme for Government briefing calling for a £40 payment.