Will Starmer scrap two-child benefit cap?

New PM Keir Starmer is facing increasing pressure to get rid of the two-child benefit cap.

The cap, introduced by the Tories in 2017, means parents can’t claim tax credit or Universal Credit for more than two children.

Several MPs, including some in his own party, have urged Starmer to scrap the policy, which they say increases child poverty.

Kim Johnson, a member of the socialist campaign group of Labour MPs, said lifting the two-child benefit cap would be “the most cost-effective and most impactful way to immediately alleviate child poverty”.

But the PM says doing so is not currently affordable for the government.

While Starmer has previously called for an end to the cap, there was no mention of scrapping it in Labour’s election manifesto.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the party was careful not to make any promises on the election trail that it may not be able to keep, and urged people to be patient.

It’s estimated that 1.6 million children are missing out on benefits because of this limit.

Next Wednesday, the new government will set out the laws it wants to bring in over the next year - some Labour MPs are hoping Starmer will have a change of heart by then.

Rising child poverty levels

About 4.3 million children are growing up in poverty in the UK, according to the Child Poverty Action Group.

Nearly half (47%) of children from black and minority ethnic groups are in poverty, compared to 24% of white children.

And child poverty is higher in larger families – 46% of children from families with three or more children live in poverty.

Are you entitled to any child benefits?

If you’re struggling to cover the costs of raising a child, there’s a range of support you may be able to get. Read on to find out some of the ways you could get help – you can find the full list of help available on the government’s website.

Child benefit

In the UK, you get child benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child under 16 or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training. There’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.

You usually get an allowance every four weeks, national insurance credits and a national insurance number for your child.  

But if your child goes into care for more than eight weeks or is in hospital for more than 12 weeks, your child benefit payment could be affected. You should tell HMRC if this happens.

Family benefits

When you have a baby, you could be entitled to one or more of the following benefits:

• maternity leave
• paternity leave
• maternity pay
• paternity pay
• shared parental leave
• shared parental pay

Help with school costs

If your child is in school and money is tight, you might be able to get:

• help with home-to-school transport costs
• free school meals

Help for single parents

The cost of bringing up a child can be particularly difficult if you’re on your own.

Find out about the help you might be entitled to in our guide on support for single parents.

Help with a disabled child

You might be able to get disability living allowance if you have a child with a long-term illness or disability.

Find out whether you qualify and how to apply on the government’s website.

Help for students with children

If you’re studying while raising a child, it’s possible you could be entitled to:

• parents’ learning allowance
• care to learn
• childcare grant

Check your benefits entitlement

You can check whether you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to online with our free benefits calculator or give us a ring and we’ll look into it for you.