Angela Rayner has expressed support for eliminating the two-child benefit cap as a means to combat child poverty. Drawing from her own upbringing, the former Deputy Labour Leader emphasized the importance of not penalizing children. Rayner debunked the notion that some have children solely for benefits, citing the modest amount of £20 per week for child benefit.
In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Rayner commended signals from Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves indicating a plan to scrap the two-child limit on benefits in the upcoming November 26 announcement. She stressed the imperative to address the issue of child poverty and highlighted the detrimental effects of the current benefit cap.
Rayner refuted the notion that people exploit child benefits, citing the financial challenges of raising children and emphasizing the need to prevent child destitution. She called on the government to align policy decisions with Labour values and evidence-based approaches.
A coalition of over 40 celebrities, including Arlene Phillips, Mark Bonnar, Jason Isaacs, and Bill Nighy, penned a letter urging the government to abolish the two-child benefit limit in the Budget. They emphasized the negative impact of the limit on children and the urgent need for its removal.
Introduced in 2017 under the Conservative government, the two-child benefit limit restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households. Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed personal commitment to reducing the high levels of child poverty, which currently affect approximately 4.5 million children.