Abolition of the Two-Child Limit: A Significant Development for Millions of Children
The two-child limit, which was scheduled for full implementation by 2035, would have affected an estimated 2.2 million children, including 1.7 million living in poverty, according to figures from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). The policy has now been abolished with immediate effect.
Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, described the change as transformative:
“Today is a gamechanger for children up and down the country who are without the things they need to learn and grow because of the two-child limit. This was one of the nastiest policies for children in modern times. Its removal is a ray of hope for the families affected and a first essential step towards ensuring every child has a fair start.”
Impact on Affected Families
Families impacted by the two-child limit have shared accounts of the difficult choices they have faced. One mother described having to decide between purchasing petrol for work or providing food for her children, while resorting to cheap vinegar to address mould in her children’s bedroom due to the inability to afford proper anti-mould paint. Another parent of four reported avoiding informing his children about birthday party invitations because the associated costs of gifts and travel were unaffordable.
Parents’ Experiences
Joanna’s Story
Joanna and her partner previously worked full-time, but she recently ceased employment to provide additional support for one of their three children, who has special needs. Their youngest child has not qualified for universal credit support under the two-child limit. Joanna reflected:
“I never thought I’d be in a position where I couldn’t support my family. There’s a lot of rhetoric out there, but life isn’t black and white, your situation could change tomorrow. This is one thing that will actually make a real difference to children who shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’ll be on the school trip or whether they’ll have school uniform. It will give us a bit of a breathing space, just knowing that with school trips coming up, it’ll be ok, and I can pay off some school dinner money debt.”
Emma’s Perspective
Emma and her partner have three children, with her partner employed full-time on the minimum wage. Their three-year-old has not received universal credit support, resulting in accumulated debts. Emma noted:
“People don’t realise that it’s mostly working families affected. We’ve been using foodbanks – but with the extra money I hope I can drop that. All the little things just keep adding up. My teenage daughter wants a haircut but I had to say no. Our three-year-old has outgrown her shoes but she’ll have to have her brother’s hand-me-downs which are really on their last legs. It’s going to make a difference to have the extra support.”
Kayleigh’s Account
Kayleigh and her husband had planned for a third child while both were employed. She explained:
“When I became pregnant with my 3rd child I was in a stable job but that was taken away from me when I became ill. We’d had a plan, everything was in place with the money to be a self-supporting, three-child family but my health meant that one day I was working and the next day I was not.”
Although Kayleigh has since returned to work and her youngest child attends nursery, the family continues to face financial pressures. She added:
“The extra money is going to change a lot for us. We decided to pay for school dinners because we wanted the kids to have a hot midday meal but that means I don’t eat lunch. My youngest might even be able to have a school uniform in September that isn’t an ink-stained hand-me-down.”
Jayne’s Testimony
Jayne has observed the effects of financial constraints on her son, who experiences bullying at school related to his clothing. She recounted:
“One time I did manage to get him some new shoes – the cheapest I could find that meet school requirements – he was over-the-moon excited about these trainers. He was like, ‘yes, mum now the kids will stop calling me poor!‘ It just broke my heart. He’s at an age where he should be ready to go to school taking pride in his appearance, feeling like a normal kid that fits in. He says ‘it doesn’t matter what the other kids think’ and a few years ago I would have called that resilience, but I’m worried that it’s coming from a place of defensiveness rather than resilience – because he knows that if he cares, it’s going to hurt too much.”
Jayne anticipates that the additional universal credit payments will enable practical improvements for the family:
“Whichever way you look at it, this will make a huge difference in helping my kids feel like they’re on an equal footing with other kids and we’re not sort of living in this hole…”
Background on the Policy
The two-child limit was originally introduced in 2017. Had it continued, the number of affected children would have stabilised by 2035, as older children reached the age of 18 and became ineligible for universal credit support, while new children entered the scope of the policy. This balance of “off-flow” and new cases would have maintained a relatively steady total.
CPAG has indicated that spokespeople are available for further comment on this development.
