Angela Rayner has expressed support for eliminating the two-child benefit cap in order to combat child poverty, labeling it as an “evil” that needs to be addressed. Drawing from her own upbringing, the former Deputy Labour Leader argued against penalizing children, emphasizing that the benefit amounts to only £20 per week.
In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Rayner applauded recent signals from Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves suggesting the abandonment of the two-child benefit limit in the upcoming November 26 announcement. She stressed the importance of tackling child poverty and highlighted the detrimental impact of the current cap.
Rayner countered the notion that some believe people have children solely for benefits, pointing out the financial challenges of raising children and emphasizing the need to protect vulnerable children from destitution. She urged the government to align policies with Labour values and prioritize evidence-based decision-making.
Reflecting on her own difficult childhood, Rayner underscored the importance of not penalizing children for circumstances beyond their control and stressed the need for families’ changing circumstances to be considered. She expressed hope that the government would address these issues in the upcoming budget.
In a separate development, over 40 celebrities, including Arlene Phillips, Mark Bonnar, Jason Isaacs, and Bill Nighy, united to advocate for the elimination of the two-child benefit limit in the Budget. In a letter organized by foodbank charity Trussell, they called for urgent action to end the limit, which they argued is pushing more children into hardship each day.
The two-child benefit limit, introduced during the Tory era in 2017, restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households. Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently expressed personal commitment to reducing child poverty rates, which currently affect approximately 4.5 million children.
