Cabinet Minister Confirms That Labour Wants To Scrap The Two-Child Benefit Cap

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson.A cabinet minister has confirmed that Labour wants to scrap the two-child benefit cap.Bridget Phillipson said the government “will do what is necessary” to lift more children out of poverty.Under the policy, which was introduced by the last Tory government in 2017, families cannot receive benefits for more than two of their children.Keir Starmer – who had previously ruled out removing the cap – is now understood to be in favour of the move, and wants the Treasury to find the £3.5 billion a year needed to pay for it.Phillipson, who is co-chair of the government’s child poverty taskforce, was quizzed about the move on Radio 4′s Today programme.Presenter Justin Webb told her that charities say scrapping the cap is “the single thing” guaranteed to lift children out of poverty.Phillipson said: “I’ve always been clear that it’s on the table. All elements of the social security system are part of what we’re considering as part of the child poverty taskforce. But we haven’t hesitated to take other action to support families and back working people.“I should also add that all your listeners would recognise that when we were elected last July, the public finances were left in a really terrible state so we have to do this credibly, we have to do it seriously.“These are not straightforward choices. The price tag associated with this is big, but what I would also say is the cost of inaction is also incredibly high because this scars the life chances of children in our country.”Webb told her that “more than 100 children a day” are pulled into poverty by the two-child benefit cap, according to the Child Poverty Action Group.“Given that, again I put it to you that not doing anything about it, whatever the money side of it, given you are about to find more money for pensioners, the inaction seems to people to be odd,” he said.Phillipson insisted that Labour would “never” have brought in the cap in the first place, but she added: “Seeking to unwind that is not easy, it costs a lot of money and we’ve got to get this right.“What I’ve said [to campaigners] is we hear them, we want to make this change happen and it will be the moral mission of this Labour government to ensure that fewer children grow up in poverty and that where you’re from does not determine everything that you go on to achieve in life.”Webb then asked her: “What will frustrate a lot of Labour Party supporters listening to you is if you believe all of these things, why as a party, if we’re going to do it, why are we waiting?”“Because we want to make this part of a wider strategy that deals with all aspects of how we can bear down on the numbers of children in poverty,” Phillipson replied.“Social security is an important element of it, but it’s not the only way that we can make change happen.”She added: “There are lots of ways that we can do this, but the commitment that I will give to you and to your listeners is that the Labour government is determined to ensure that fewer children grow up in poverty and we will do what is necessary to make that a reality.”Related...Is Starmer Really Looking To Lift The Two-Child Benefit Cap? Here's What We KnowLiz Kendall Sparks Fresh Backlash As She Doubles Down On 'Cruel' Plan To Slash Disability Benefits'This Is Austerity, Isn't It?': Justin Webb Roasts Minister Over Benefits Cuts

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