Child benefit limit ditched

CHANCELLOR SAYS SHE WILL NOT PUNISH CHILDREN FOR CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR BIRTH

- By AINE FOX

CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves insisted she will not “preside over a status quo that punishes children for the circumstances of their birth” as she confirmed the scrapping of the controversial two-child benefits limit.

Ditching the policy will result in an estimated reduction of child poverty by 450,000 and cost around £3 billion at the end of this Parliament.

Labour had been under increasing pressure from antipoverty campaigners, as well as many MPs within its own party, to end a policy introduced under the Conservatives.

Labour MPs Helen Hayes and Debbie Abrahams, who chair the education and work and pensions committees respectively, said it was a “very welcome” move and a “positive start”, but indicated their intention to keep the pressure up by adding they will “keep watch” for the detail in the forthcoming wider strategy on tackling child poverty.

Despite the repeated calls from campaigners and some Labour MPs, YouGov polling earlier this month of just over 5,000 adults suggested 57% were in favour of keeping the policy.