Angela Rayner has voiced support for abolishing the two-child benefit cap to combat child poverty. Reflecting on her own upbringing, the former Deputy Labour Leader emphasized the unfairness of penalizing children and debunked the misconception that people have children solely for benefits, noting that the benefit amounts to just £20 weekly.
In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Rayner applauded the recent signals from Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves hinting at the removal of the two-child benefit limit in the upcoming November 26 announcement. She underscored the urgency of addressing child poverty, citing the detrimental impact of the current benefit cap.
Rayner stressed the need to dispel the notion that families have more children for financial gain, highlighting the financial challenges of raising children and the imperative to prevent child destitution. She called on the government to align with Labour values and act based on evidence to protect vulnerable children.
The article also mentioned a group of over 40 celebrities urging the government to scrap the two-child benefit limit in the Budget, citing the detrimental effects on children. Established in 2017 during the Tory era, the limit restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed personal determination to reduce the alarming rates of child poverty, currently affecting 4.5 million children.