Thousands of Children in Central Devon Affected by Two-Child Limit

Strategic Insights -

More than 1,500 children in Central Devon are living in households impacted by the two-child limit, a policy that restricts Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit benefits. Charities have urged the government to scrap the policy, citing its role in increasing poverty among families. The two-child limit, introduced in 2017, excludes households with a third or subsequent child from claiming certain benefits.

Key Takeaways:

  • 1,610 children in Central Devon lived in 460 households affected by the two-child limit in April, according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions.
  • The two-child limit impacts around 11 per 1,000 households in Central Devon, a rate lower than the 18 per 1,000 average across England and Wales.
  • Across Great Britain, nearly 1.7 million children lived in some 470,000 households affected by the two-child limit in April, up from around 1.4 million children in 386,000 households the year before.
  • More than half (59%) of households affected by the policy in Great Britain were in work, with at least one claimant earning in the household.
  • Julia Pitman, head of policy and research at Action for Children, warned that the two-child limit, combined with the benefit cap, "pushes these families even deeper into poverty and traps them there."
  • A Government spokesperson announced reforms to the "broken social security system" and plans to introduce a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions, but charities continue to urge the scrapping of the two-child limit.

Statistics:

  • 1,610 children in Central Devon lived in households affected by the two-child limit in April.
  • 460 households in Central Devon were impacted by the two-child limit, accounting for around 11 per 1,000 households.
  • 18 per 1,000 households in England and Wales were affected by the two-child limit, compared to 11 per 1,000 in Central Devon.
  • 1.7 million children across Great Britain lived in households affected by the two-child limit in April, up from 1.4 million children the year before.
  • 59% of households affected by the policy in Great Britain were in work, with at least one claimant earning in the household.
  • 470,000 households in Great Britain were impacted by the two-child limit in April, out of which 38,200 (8%) were also affected by the benefit cap.

Sources:

  • "More than 1,500 Newton Abbot children in families hit by two-child limit" - Teignmouth Today, June (no specific date provided)
  • "Figures show 1,610 children in Central Devon affected by two-child limit" - Teignmouth Today, June (no specific date provided)
  • "Child Poverty Action Group chief executive Alison Garnham" - Teignmouth Today, June (no specific date provided)
  • "Department for Work and Pensions figures" - Teignmouth Today, June (no specific date provided)
  • "Government spokesperson" - Teignmouth Today, June (no specific date provided)