Teaching unions have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer urging him to scrap the two-child benefit cap ahead of Labour's annual conference in Liverpool. The letter, signed by six unions including the National Education Union and NASUWT, describes the policy as 'cruel' and calls for its full abolition as part of the government's upcoming child poverty strategy.
Introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, the cap limits most families to claiming benefits such as universal credit and tax credits for only their first two children. The Resolution Foundation estimates that removing the cap could lift 470,000 children out of poverty. The unions warn of the 'critical need' to scrap the policy, stating it is 'harming the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and young people in our classrooms.'
'Poverty is having an adverse impact on children's ability to learn, with children living in low-income households doing worse on average than their peers at every milestone,' the letter reads. It adds that 79% of school staff report poverty making it increasingly hard to carry out their roles. The unions insist the government 'cannot claim an ambitious child poverty strategy while any part of this policy remains in place.'
Speculation is growing that the cap could be removed, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson calling it 'spiteful' and saying scrapping it is 'on the table.' Over 100 Labour MPs recently signed a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves urging a change. A government spokesperson said the child poverty taskforce will publish an ambitious strategy and highlighted investments in family hubs and free school meals.
