New Research: Majority of families impacted by the two-child limit are working
We worked alongside the Financial Times to highlight shocking new data on the two-child limit to benefit payments. This new data shows that 81 per cent of two-parent families affected by the limit have at least one working parent.
This data was obtained by Freedom of Information requests to the relevant government departments that deal with Universal Credit and Child Tax Credits.
The two-child limit has long been justified because it meant families in receipt of benefit payments were ‘forced to face the same financial choices as those in work’. Yet this new data shows that actually the reverse is true. Families who have their income limited by the two-child limit are already working. In fact, the vast majority of two-parent households have at least one working member.
The two-child limit means families, who have third or more child born after April 2017, miss out on up to £3500 per year per child. Our recent research with Loughborough University shows that there is a strong positive correlation between child poverty levels and the number of families impacted by the two-child limit. 
In response to this new data, Joseph Howes, Chair of the Coalition and CEO of Buttle UK said;
“The two-child limit is a failed policy that drives families, the majority of whom are already working, into poverty. Any credible plan to reduce child poverty will need to make scrapping the policy its number one priority. Children need politicians to show leadership and to commit to ending the two-child limit before it damages more lives, and sends our child poverty rates to a new high.”
Ahead of the General Election the End Child Poverty Coalition is calling on every political party to commit to scrapping the two-child limit to benefit payments.
