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As schools look to a new academic year, school leaders, governors, teaching unions, Child Poverty Action Group and others working in schools have written to Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson MP calling for the two-child benefit limit to be scrapped in the 30th October Budget.

'The new government pledged an ambitious approach to tackling child poverty but there was little to help achieve that aim in the speech today. The two-child limit is the biggest driver of rising child poverty and teachers, struggling parents and even children themselves can testify to the harm the policy is causing to kids day in, day out. All eyes will now be on government’s first budget, which must commit to scrapping this policy. Delaying its abolition will harm many more young lives and undercut the government’s poverty-reduction plans.'

'The taskforce is a welcome first step towards fulfilling the government’s pledge to bring in an ambitious child poverty strategy. But with a record number of kids in poverty now, scrapping the two-child limit on benefits has to happen in the government’s first Budget. The two-child limit is driving up child poverty more than any other policy, children need it to be removed as a priority.'

Seven years after the introduction of the two-child limit, there are almost 1.6 million children in 440,000 families affected by the policy.

Survey of 560 affected families reveals acute hardship. Charities and Church of England call on new government to commit to abolishing the policy this year – ‘...children can’t wait for government to align every star...’

How is the two-child limit policy affecting families? Why is ending it such a priority? And what pressure can be put on political parties to commit to abolishing it if they form the next UK government?

‘It’s good to hear that ending child poverty is central for Labour, but the best way to achieve that is by ending the two-child limit on benefits which is driving so many children into hardship.  A child poverty reduction plan is essential, but scrapping the two-child limit would have to be step one.'

With child poverty at a record high, the prime minister has now clearly decided that making kids poor is his political priority. After covid and the cost of living crisis, struggling families need a helping hand not another kick in the teeth.

Our pre-Budget briefing details how best to invest financial support in children to reduce child poverty and give every child the chance to fulfil their potential.

There are over four million children now living in poverty in the UK. We set out what the government needs to do at the next Budget to tackle poverty.