Kendall rules out lifting two-child benefit cap, but says child poverty a priority ...Middle East

Liz Kendall has admitted it would be a personal failure if child poverty does not fall under her watch, but refused to commit to scrapping the two-child benefit cap.

The Work and Pensions Secretary insisted the number of children living in poverty “will be going down” under the Labour Government – saying she would not break her promise.

But she would not be drawn on whether the Government is any closer to scrapping the two-child benefit limit, which has been linked to rising deprivation.

The benefit cap prevents people on universal credit or tax credits from claiming additional support for more than two children.

Evidence suggests the cap has a direct impact on levels of children living in households below the poverty line.

Kendall told The i Paper Labour had voted against the implementation of the policy when it was introduced under Conservative PM David Cameron.

But, speaking of the current Government’s refusal to reverse it, she said: “Our whole approach is to say we will only make promises if we show we can afford it and how we’re going to commit to them.

“I’m not into a wing and a prayer, I’m into solid action. People deserve that and you’ll just have to wait until we publish our child poverty strategy.”

square BENEFITS Explained

How benefits cuts could push thousands of children into poverty

The Secretary of State refused to say whether money saved by the recently-announced incapacity and disability welfare reforms could be used to lift the cap.

The Government’s position has been that it intends to lift the cap – which is deeply unpopular among many Labour MPs – when the economic situation allows for it.

But Kendall made no commitments on Thursday, despite saying she had seen the impact of the policy playing out in her constituency in Leicester.

“I’ve seen the impact in Leicester that it’s had – that and a whole series of things – on child poverty. I’ve got one in three kids in my constituency growing up poor, and the lifelong consequences of that are unacceptable. It is one of the reasons I came into politics.”

She added: “I campaigned my whole life to give children an equal start, and that is what I’m determined to deliver on.”

The i Paper previously reported that the Government was moving away from the prospect of fully scrapping the cap and instead looking to reform it, with discussions continuing as part of the ministerial taskforce on child poverty.

But it is not clear whether the Government’s long-promised child poverty strategy, which is expected to be published in the coming months following the work of the taskforce, will come with a specific funding allowance.

A recent Government impact assessment suggested welfare cuts, announced by Kendall last month, would result in another 50,000 more children in poverty.

square POLITICS Exclusive

Gordon Brown: Two-child benefit cap is trapping families in poverty

But she defended the reforms and said the official assessment “did not take into account the fact that our £1bn additional employment support is absolutely designed to give people an opportunity and a pathway out of poverty”.

Kendall added: “We’ve got a clear manifesto commitment to tackle poverty and drive child poverty down and that is what we will deliver. Child poverty will be going down.”

Asked whether it would be a personal failure of hers and the Government if rates are rising by the next election, she replied: “Yes.”

According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the child relative poverty rate increased from 27 to 30 per cent between 2010 and 2023 – entirely driven by an increase in poverty among families with three or more children.

Reversing the two-child limit would pull 540,000 children over the absolute poverty line, according to the IFS.

Doing so would cost an estimated £2.5bn a year.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Kendall rules out lifting two-child benefit cap, but says child poverty a priority )

Also on site :

• EU state pledges funds to help aspirant counter ‘Russian threats’
• Food Network star Anne Burrell dies aged 55 leaving Worst Cooks in America fans devastated after show absence
• Downtown Lincolnton on lockdown after 'credible threat,' police say no active shooter