‘A year on, children can’t wait. Starmer must end the two-child cap now’

‘Promise made, promise kept’ has only in recent weeks become the mantra of this government. But it was a year ago today when the government made its promise to children living in poverty.

The Prime Minister told the nation: “No child should be left hungry, cold or have their future held back… my ministers will leave no stone unturned to give every child the very best start at life.”

The same day, our organisations were invited into government to hear about its child poverty taskforce, charged with delivering a strategy to reduce child poverty within this parliament.  

Since then, the language around this commitment to the nation’s children has strengthened further still. The government now speaks of tackling child poverty as its moral mission.

READ MORE: Which ministers have done the most and fewest broadcast rounds in year one?

It consistently describes the forthcoming child poverty strategy – delayed until autumn to allow closer alignment between spending decisions and the Budget – as ambitious, with the popular expansion of free school meals offered as a ‘down payment’ on bigger things to come.

The mission is more than just a moral one, it’s a practical one too. This government’s vision of better living standards, sustainable growth and strong public services all depend on child poverty going down. It’s impossible to give every child the best start in life – a pledge said to be particularly close to the PM’s heart – while millions of them are growing up in poverty.  

And the PM isn’t alone. Polling consistently shows that the general public is overwhelmingly in favour of government action to reduce child poverty.

‘No path to reduced child poverty unless policy scrapped in full’

But a year is a long time to wait. Child poverty levels are rising and it’s no secret why. Every day, the two-child limit pulls 109 more kids into poverty, punishing them for having sisters or brothers. After a year of careful inquiry, the government knows there’s no credible path to reduced child poverty unless the policy is scrapped in full.

At a time of focus on public finances, getting rid of the limit is also the most cost-effective way to lift 350,000 kids out of poverty while reducing the depth of poverty for 700,000 more. The government’s task won’t end there, but it’s the foundation on which other interventions can be built. 

Growing up in poverty scars children’s lives. It means shorter life expectancies, poorer educational outcomes, worse physical and mental health. It means stress and isolation, hungry kids, cramped and damp housing. It’s a day-to-day reality and a future that no child deserves.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of all things Labour – and follow us on  Bluesky, WhatsApp, Threads, X or Facebook.

Matching the scale of the government’s ambition to tackle child poverty with the necessary investment will come with a price tag. But prioritising policies that will make the critical difference to the country’s children is essential to set us on a stronger path. 

It’s a prize worth fighting for. Twelve months after it was first announced, publication of the strategy can’t come soon enough for struggling families in desperate need of action not just words. And for a supportive public ready for change, promise made promise kept on child poverty will be a success the whole nation can get behind. 

• SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
• SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
• DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
• PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
• ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].