Keir Starmer has hinted that the two-child benefit limit may be abolished in the upcoming Budget announcement. The Prime Minister expressed his personal determination to reduce child poverty, currently affecting around 4.5 million children. He assured that a set of actions would be revealed to address this issue when the Budget is presented on November 26.
Following Rachel Reeves’ previous indication, Starmer affirmed during an interview on ITV’s Lorraine program that driving down child poverty was a priority for him. He emphasized the importance of building upon existing initiatives like free school meals, breakfast clubs, and free childcare, while also introducing new measures to combat child poverty effectively.
Regarding the two-child benefit limit, Starmer assured that concrete steps would be taken to alleviate child poverty, aligning with the ongoing policy review initiated by the government in 2017. There have been discussions about potentially revising the policy, with Reeves advocating for its complete abolition to prevent larger families from being disadvantaged.
In a separate statement, the Chancellor emphasized the economic repercussions of unchecked child poverty and highlighted the unfairness of penalizing children due to their parents’ financial circumstances. Reeves echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need to support families facing challenges and reaffirming the commitment to reducing child poverty.
Overall, the government’s stance on addressing child poverty signals a proactive approach, with indications pointing towards significant changes in the upcoming Budget.