Gordon Brown has urged for the complete removal of the two-child benefit limit, increasing pressure on Keir Starmer’s administration to take action. The former Labour Prime Minister denounced the high levels of child poverty in the UK as disgraceful and a stain on the country’s moral fabric during a significant address on Thursday.
His stance aligns with Keir Starmer’s contemplation of either eliminating or softening the Tory-initiated policy, which has been criticized by charities for ensnaring children in poverty. This policy restricts Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit to only the first two children in a family.
Reports suggest that the government is exploring various options, including implementing a new tapered rate or enforcing a three-child benefit limit to mitigate the impact of this austerity measure. A review on child poverty is anticipated to coincide with Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget announcement on November 26.
Brown emphasized the negative impact of the two-child rule, attributing the continual rise in child poverty rates to this regulation. He emphasized the necessity of abolishing the rule entirely to meet poverty reduction targets set for the Parliament’s end and ensure that the majority of children under five are school-ready.
In addition, Brown criticized the origin of the policy, pointing fingers at former Chancellor George Osborne for introducing a biased legislation almost a decade ago. He debunked the misconception that the policy primarily supported workless and irresponsible parents on benefits, highlighting that 60% of affected families include members in employment or with newborns.
Furthermore, Brown lauded the efforts of former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner at an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Child Poverty Action Group. He expressed shock at the current figure of approximately 4.5 million children living in poverty, the highest in 60 years, emphasizing the urgent need to address societal injustices and inequalities.
Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern, speaking at the same event, hinted at the Government’s forthcoming strategy to improve family incomes and alleviate the financial burdens of poverty. She acknowledged that child poverty hinders families’ progress and vowed that the strategy will address the root causes of this issue.
The Government’s spokesperson affirmed that the upcoming strategy aims to confront the structural underpinnings of child poverty.