MPs are set to vote on whether to abolish the two-child benefit cap, which was introduced by the Conservatives in 2017 and restricts the amount of universal credit or child tax credit that parents can claim if they have more than two children. Although Labour’s proposed amendment was not selected for a vote, the SNP’s proposal has been put forward, expressing regret that the cap is not mentioned in the King’s Speech and arguing that it is leading children into poverty. 21 MPs, including some from various parties and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, have signed the amendment.
While the government has said that it will not make “unfunded promises” by removing the cap, anti-poverty charities have renewed their calls for it to be scrapped following Labour’s recent election victory. However, due to the government’s majority of 174, it is unlikely that the amendment will succeed. Nevertheless, the vote is an opportunity for Labour MPs to demonstrate their opposition to the policy and to increase pressure on the government.
The policy has been criticised for placing undue financial pressures on struggling families. One single mother with five children spoke to the BBC, revealing how difficult it had been to provide basic necessities such as food. The cap can also have psychological impacts causing people to stay in unhealthy relationships in order to avoid having to raise more children alone.
Despite pressure from opposition parties and backbench MPs, Labour whips are keen to quash any potential rebellion among their own ranks. Some left-wing Labour MPs who have publicly called for the cap to be scrapped reportedly face losing the whip if they vote in support of the SNP’s amendment. The vote is expected to take place at 19:00 BST, at the end of the King’s Speech debate.
Removing the cap, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, would cost the government roughly 3% of the total budget for working-age benefits and roughly £3.4bn a year. Opposition parties and anti-poverty charities maintain that abolishing the cap would be an effective means of reducing child poverty
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