End Child Poverty Welcomes Commissioner for Human Rights Statement on UK Child Poverty

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08/07/25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  

The Commissioner for Human Rights from the Council of Europe has recently conducted a visit to the UK, with a focus on rising levels of child poverty across the country. His full statement can be viewed here: https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/united-kingdom-tackling-poverty-is-crucial-to-protect-children-s-human-rights-a-number-of-other-areas-also-call-for-attention

 

Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK and Chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition said;

 

“We absolutely agree with the Commissioner that the government must scrap the two-child limit and benefit cap, and that this must happen quickly to turn the tide on rising levels of child poverty across the UK.

 

“109 children are pulled into poverty by the two-child limit every day, for each 24 hours that the government allows to pass with this policy in place, more children’s life chances become blighted by the effects of poverty”. 

 

The End Child Poverty Coalition, some of its members, and a group of young people impacted by poverty – and supported by the Coalition, met with the Commissioner on his recent visit to the UK.

 

The government committed to developing an ambitious plan to tackle child poverty in their election manifesto – yet have not publicised their strategy to do this. This is due for publication after the Autumn Budget.

 

The two-child limit to benefit payments is a cruel policy which pushes families into poverty. It deprives families who claim benefit payments of the child element of this, if their third child was born after April 2017. 1 in every 9 children in the UK lives in a home which has benefit payments reduced by this policy.

 

Research from the Coalition has shown there is a strong positive correlation between the percentage of children living in poverty in parliamentary constituencies, and the percentage of children impacted by the policy. Where you have high levels of child poverty, you have a higher proportion of families impacted by the policy. If this policy were scraped it could also significantly impact local economies. Deprived areas especially could see a huge boost; Liverpool Riverside, ranked the most deprived constituency in England, could gain £5.2 million annually. Birmingham Ladywood, the fourth most deprived area could gain £16 million annually, and Bradford East – the ninth most deprived area could gain £11 million annually.[1]

 

Notes to editors

 

1.The End Child Poverty coalition (www.endchildpoverty.org.uk) is made up of over 130 organisations from civic society including children’s charities, child welfare organisations, social justice groups, faith groups, trade unions and others, united in our vision of a UK free of child poverty. Members include Child Poverty Action Group, The Children’s Society, Buttle UK, Gingerbread, Oxfam GB, Action for Children, Trade Unions Congress, Save the Children, and the National Children’s Bureau.

 

2. You can get in touch with the coalition by emailing rachel@endchildpoverty.org.uk or on 07918 567577.

 

3.The counter can be viewed on the website: www.endchildpoverty.org.uk  and seen below in the screen shot at the top of the website. This counter follows you round the website as you browse pages.

 

 

[1] ‘At the Limit’ available https://endchildpoverty.org.uk/two_child_limit-2025/

 

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