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

Lambeth councillors have voted down a motion which would have committed the council to call on the Government to scrap the controversial 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. 

Lambeth Labour voted against the Liberal Democrats’ motion, meaning the council will not publicly express support to abolish the two-child limit. 

Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party said in July that he would keep the two-child benefit cap.

Lambeth Lib Dem 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.”

Lambeth Labour has been approached for comment.

(Picture: Pexels/Towfiqu Barbhuiya)