UK Education Unions Urge Government to Scrap Two-Child Benefit Cap Amid Rising Poverty Concerns

Education Unions Unite Against Benefit Cap

A collective of leading education unions in the United Kingdom has intensified calls for the government to scrap the controversial two-child benefit cap. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, sent on the eve of the Labour conference in Liverpool, the unions highlighted the policy's detrimental effect on child poverty and its impact on the educational outcomes of hundreds of thousands of children.

The unions involved in this joint appeal include the National Governance Association (NGA), the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the National Education Union (NEU), NASUWT, and Unison. They described the policy as 'cruel' and 'poverty-producing', urging its full abandonment as part of the government's forthcoming child poverty strategy, which is now expected this autumn after an initial spring delay.

The Impact of the Two-Child Benefit Cap

Introduced by the Conservative government in 2017, the two-child benefit cap restricts means-tested benefits, such as Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit, to the first two children in most households. This means that third or subsequent children born after April 2017 are generally not eligible for this financial support, with only limited exemptions.

Campaigners and research bodies have consistently linked the cap to a significant rise in child poverty. The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) estimated in April 2025 that 1.6 million children are affected by the limit, with approximately 350,000 children potentially lifted out of poverty if the cap were abolished. The Resolution Foundation similarly estimates that removing the cap could lift 470,000 children out of poverty, while the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggests 540,000 fewer children could be in poverty 'in the long run'. Charities also report that the policy pushes over 100 children into poverty daily.

Broader Calls for Abolition

The education unions' intervention adds to a growing chorus of voices advocating for the cap's removal. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has publicly denounced the policy as 'abhorrent' and representing the 'worst of Westminster'. Furthermore, over 100 Labour MPs have also urged the government to scrap the cap, with some describing it as 'one of the most significant drivers of child poverty in Britain today'. The independent Poverty Strategy Commission has also called for its abolition, noting it denies £3,500 a year in welfare payments to third and subsequent children.

Government Response and Future Outlook

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has acknowledged the issue, stating his intent to take 'measures to bring down child poverty' and confirming that the two-child limit 'has to be on the table' for discussion. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has previously labeled the cap 'spiteful' and criticized it for 'punishing and pushing children into hardship'. A government spokesperson has indicated that their Child Poverty Taskforce will publish an ambitious strategy to address the root causes of child poverty.

However, recent reports suggest that the government's ability to scrap the cap might be complicated by recent welfare policy U-turns. Conversely, the Conservative party has stated that a future Conservative government would 'move quickly to reinstate' the cap if Labour were to abolish it. The ongoing debate underscores the deep divisions surrounding the policy's future and its critical role in the broader discussion on child poverty in the UK.