Angela Rayner says scrapping two-child profit cap can assist finish ‘evil of kid poverty’
The former Deputy Labour Leader referenced her own upbringing, and argued it was not right to penalise children by stripping away benefits that could lift them out of poverty
Angela Rayner has backed scrapping the two-child benefit cap to end the “evil of child poverty”.
The former Deputy Labour Leader referenced her own upbringing, and argued it was not right to penalise children. Ms Rayner also called out those who claimed people were having children just for benefits, explaining the benefit is just £20 a week.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Ms Rayner also welcomed the indications this week from both Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves that the two-child benefit limit will be ditched in the November 26 statement.
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She said: “I think the Labour Government right from the start said we’ve got to tackle child poverty, when I was in Government I did a lot of work on this and I really welcome Rachel and the Prime Minister’s intervention on this.
“The evil of child poverty has to be dealt with and challenged and the evidence is there that the two child benefit cap really has an impact.
“On the flip side of that, I really want to take on this argument that seems to be an undercurrent around the two child benefit cap that seems to insinuate in some way that people will have children or think that they’re going to have loads more children because they get child benefit.
“Child benefit is less than £20 a week, anyone who has had children will tell you it’s really difficult and challenging. We cannot have a situation in this country where we’ve got children in destitution.
“I think the Government has to look at the evidence, it’s a Labour Government, it’s our Labour values.
“I was a child who came from a very difficult upbringing. It wasn’t my fault who my parents were, and circumstances can change for families and I think that we have to recognise that and we can’t penalise children as Rachel said, they should be looked after.
“Hopefully at the budget that’s what our government will do.”
This week more 40 celebrities including Arlene Phillips, Mark Bonnar, Jason Isaacs and Bill Nighy joined forces to call for the two-child benefit limit to be scrapped in the Budget.
In a letter to the PM, organised by foodbank charity Trussell, they wrote: “ We are writing to implore that you fully remove the cruel two-child limit which is pushing 109 more children into hardship every single day. Ending it is the right thing to do – we need you to do it now.”
The Tory-era two-child benefit limit – which came into effect in 2017 – restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister said he was personally determined to drive down rates of child poverty, which currently stands at a staggering 4.5million.
