Lambeth Labour vote against calls to scrap two-child benefit cap

The two-child benefit cap, which prevents parents from claiming child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children, was introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017. 

Data provided by the End Child Poverty Coalition shows that removing the cap would lift 250,000 children across the UK out of poverty.

In Lambeth, 43 percent of children live in poverty. The borough has the 15th highest child poverty rate out of 381 local authorities across the UK. 

According to a recent study by the University of York, the two-child limit has failed to meet its stated aims of encouraging parents to consider the affordability of more children or of increasing employment. 

However, Lambeth Labour voted against the Liberal Democrats’ motion on ‘Giving Lambeth children the best start in life’, meaning the council will not publicly express support to abolish the two-child limit. 

The Child Poverty Action Group says the economic and societal effects of child poverty, including spending on public services, costs the UK £39 billion every year. 

The Liberal Democrats say that investing just £1.3 billion to end the two-child limit would dramatically reduce overall expenditure resulting from child poverty.  

The debate shows a clear divide between the two main political parties in Lambeth, with Lambeth Labour falling in line behind Sir Keir Starmer, who said in July that the Labour Party would keep the two-child benefit cap. 

At their recent party conference in Bournemouth, the Liberal Democrats re-expressed their commitment to scrap the two-child limit, a pledge which was included in their manifestos for the 2017 and 2019 general elections. 

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Councillor Matthew Bryant, said: 

“There are 27,000 children in Lambeth living in poverty and every single one of them deserves to be given the best start in life. Scrapping the two-child limit is the most cost-effective way to reduce child poverty. 

“Unlike Labour, the Liberal Democrats are unequivocal in our support for abolishing the brutal and ineffective two-child benefit cap. This policy has a devastating effect on families. The cost to the taxpayer of scrapping it is far smaller than the cost of keeping it.”