Charities at roundtable say axe two-child cap as child poverty taskforce launched

Charities which attended a child poverty roundtable with ministers on Wednesday have called on the government to scrap the two-child benefit cap, after Keir Starmer announced a new taskforce following more pressure from MPs as the King’s Speech sets out Labour’s legislative priorities.

Scrapping the cap was not part of the 40 bills unveiled on Wednesday, but Number 10 confirmed later that the the Work and Pensions Secretary and Education Secretary will lead a wider review, while a new Child Poverty Unit will be launched inside the Cabinet Office.

READ MORE: King’s Speech: Government to face four amendments on two-child benefit cap

It comes after Labour MP Kim Johnson and the Scottish National Party indicated they would file King’s Speech amendments to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Downing Street confirmed a new Child Poverty Unit, bringing together expert officials from across government as well as external experts, will report into the taskforce.

“The new unit will explore how we can use all the available levers we have across government to create an ambitious strategy,” a government spokesperson said, including levers related to household income, employment, housing, children’s health, childcare and education.

The first meeting will happen within weeks. It follows a meeting by ministers on Wednesday morning with groups including Save the Children, Action for Children, Barnados, TUC, End Child Poverty Coalition, Resolution Foundation and UNICEF to “invite their views on how they can shape the strategy”.

Three of the groups told LabourList they backed ditching the two-child benefit cap introduced by the Tories in 2017.

Attendees back scrapping two-child cap

Paul Carberry, chief executive at Action for Children, said: “I was pleased to meet with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, today to discuss how to urgently help lift children out of poverty.

“It’s right that the new taskforce and Child Poverty Unit works across government to look at the wider drivers and solutions to child poverty. This should include breaking down the barriers to work many parents face and investing in social security.

“A strategy for tackling child poverty must start with abolishing the cruel and unnecessary two-child limit. This would immediately lift around 300,000 children out of poverty.”

Joseph Howes, Chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition and CEO of Buttle UK said: “It was good to attend the roundtable meeting on child poverty today with the Secretary of State. All of us in attendance agreed that an ambitious plan for the 4.3 million children living in poverty is urgently needed. And we welcome the announcement of a Ministerial taskforce to tackle child poverty.

“However, we know that scrapping the two-child limit will instantly lift 300,000 out of poverty. This policy must be scrapped immediately, we don’t need to wait for a strategy to understand that this is the right first step to reduce child poverty.”

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Dan Paskins, Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at Save the Children UK, said:  We welcome the announcement of a Child Poverty Taskforce today as a signal of intent towards improving the lives of 4.3 million children living in poverty. We look forward to the joint taskforce setting out clear targets to ensure every child has an equal chance to thrive. Save the Children is pleased to be working alongside the UK government on this.

“However, good intentions are not enough. Children growing up in poverty need action and no child poverty strategy will be credible unless the two-child limit is scrapped at the Autumn Budget. With 1.6 million children impacted by this cruel and unfair policy, the two-child-limit punishes children just for having siblings.”

Did Labour fear rebellion?

Keir Starmer said in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon: “For too long children have been left behind, and no decisive action has been taken to address the root causes of poverty. This is completely unacceptable – no child should be left hungry, cold or have their future held back.

“That’s why we’re prioritising work on an ambitious child poverty strategy and my ministers will leave no stone unturned to give every child the very best start at life.”

Meanwhile four King’s Speech amendments have been filed by MPs including Labour backbenchers over the two-child cap

Sky News journalist Sam Coates said it looked like Prime Minister Keir Starmer was “anticipating a potential rebellion”. He suggested the announcement could give MPs something to point to when pressed on the cap, but said the key question Labour is likely to now face is whether it would scrap the cap if the taskforce recommends its abolition.

Read more our coverage of the King’s Speech here:

• Government launches Great British Energy to accelerate renewable energy investment
• What policies didn’t make it into the King’s address?
• King’s Speech vows ‘genuine’ living wage and flexible working ‘default’
• Full list of 40 key policy bills set to become law
• Kim Johnson MP: ‘My amendment to lift the two-child benefit cap is vital’

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