Rishi Sunak Promises To Retain Child Benefits Cap If His Party Wins Election

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been accused of making poor  children his “political priority” after he pledged to keep a “nasty” benefit cap.

The Prime Minister said the Tory manifesto will include a vow to keep the controversial two-child benefit cap in place.


Campaigners argue that lifting it would pull a quarter of a million children out of poverty, with pressure mounting on Keir Starmer to scrap it if he gets into Downing Street.


The policy, introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, limits the benefits that parents on Universal Credit are entitled to – costing families upwards of £3,200 a year. Alison Garnham, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) said: “With child poverty at a record high, the prime minister has now clearly decided that making kids poor is his political priority.


After Covid and the cost of living crisis, struggling families need a helping hand not another kick in the teeth. The two-child limit makes life harder for kids, punishing them for having brothers and sisters.



Research by the End Child Poverty Coalition (ECPC) found that single parents with very young children and families with at least one disabled child are among the worst hit. Last year Mr Starmer said Labour will not be changing the policy if it wins the election. That position is understood to be unchanged.


That is despite deputy leader Angela Rayner having described the cap as “obscene and inhumane”. In a statement campaign group the Children’s Prosperity Plan called on Labour to reverse its position if the Tories refuse. It said: “The Prime Minister’s pledge to retain the two-child benefit cap underscores a continuation of a policy that unfairly limits crucial support for many families across the UK.


“This position, which could prevent 250,000 children from escaping poverty, highlights the urgent need for opposition parties, particularly Labour, to commit to abolishing this cap.” It went on: “Political leaders must prioritise actions that put children first.”