• Contact
  • About
DONATE
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
North East Bylines
  • Home
  • News
  • Culture
  • Lifestyle
  • Business
  • Region
  • Opinion
AUDIO
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Culture
  • Lifestyle
  • Business
  • Region
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
North East Bylines
Home Region Co. Durham

Unfair two-child limit hits 14,000 North East families

The two-child limit is totally unfair as it penalises families for changes in their circumstances which are completely beyond their control

North East BylinesbyNorth East Bylines
16-07-2021 06:08 - Updated On 24-03-2022 22:15
in Co. Durham, North East, Northumberland, Politics, Region, Teesside, Tyneside, UK, UK News, Wearside
Reading Time: 3 mins
A A
Photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash

Photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Regional child poverty campaigners have renewed calls for an end to the government’s ‘two-child limit’, after figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions today (15 July 2021) show that almost 14,000 families – including at least 42,000 children – across the North East are now affected by the policy.

The two-child limit

The two-child limit means that – since 6 April 2017 – almost all families having a third or subsequent child are no longer entitled to receive additional support for those children through Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit, worth up to £2,845 per child per year.

The government’s rationale for this policy is that parents who receive support from the social security system should make the ‘same financial choices’ about having children as those supporting themselves solely through work.

The majority are in work

However, today’s new data shows that the majority of families affected by the two-child limit – 56% – are in work. Many others will have their children at a time when they are able to support themselves solely through work, but may need to turn to the social security system at some point in the future – such as those affected by the economic downturn caused by Covid-19.

For the first time since it was implemented, the government has published a regional breakdown of the number of families affected by this policy, with almost 14,000 families – and therefore at least 42,000 children – across the North East hit.

Across the country, 1.1 million children – in 318,000 families – are affected by the two-child limit, which it is estimated will have pushed almost three quarters of a million more children into poverty when fully rolled-out by 2025.

Director of the North East Child Poverty Commission, Amanda Bailey, said:

‘The two-child limit is totally unfair as it penalises families for changes in their circumstances which are completely beyond their control.”

“Nobody can possibly predict what their financial situation will be throughout their children’s lives – with unexpected life events like job loss, family breakdown, ill health and now a global pandemic seeing thousands of North East families hit by this policy. Many others affected are trapped in low paid, precarious work.”

“We all want children across the North East to thrive free from the grip of poverty, but the two-child limit is a major barrier to that, denying families the support they need when they experience tough times. It must end now.”

North East Child Poverty Commission

The North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) is an active supporter of the All Kids Count campaign – backed by over 70 organisations across the country – which is calling for the Government to end this policy.

Previous Post

Blood cancer patient’s alarm at relaxation of rules

Next Post

The unfinished play in South Shields

North East Bylines

North East Bylines

Related Posts

Gaza Oct 23
Opinion

Gaza’s statistics of death

byDavid Keys
December 7, 2023
hands holding candle
Community

75 years since Universal Declaration of Human Rights: celebration at Sunderland Minster

byNorth East Bylines
December 6, 2023
Margaret Thatcher
North East

In praise of Thatcher: has Starmer gone too far?

byJulia Mazza
December 5, 2023
Two young women holding hands in demonstration
Politics

Human Rights Day

byPeter Sagar
December 5, 2023
Margaret Thatcher
North East

Keir Starmer’s praise of Margaret Thatcher

byChris Wade
December 4, 2023
Next Post
Illustration by Suzy Varty

The unfinished play in South Shields

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR CROWDFUNDER

Subscribe to our newsletters
CHOOSE YOUR NEWS
Follow us on social media
CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORMS
Download our app
ALL OF BYLINES IN ONE PLACE
Subscribe to our gazette
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SUSTAINABILITY
Make a monthly or one-off donation
DONATE NOW
Help us with our hosting costs
SIGN UP TO SITEGROUND
We are always looking for citizen journalists
WRITE FOR US
Volunteer as an editor, in a technical role, or on social media
VOLUNTEER FOR US
Something else?
GET IN TOUCH
Previous slide
Next slide

LATEST

The word humanity

Remember the call

December 7, 2023
Gaza Oct 23

Gaza’s statistics of death

December 7, 2023
hands holding candle

75 years since Universal Declaration of Human Rights: celebration at Sunderland Minster

December 6, 2023
Margaret Thatcher

In praise of Thatcher: has Starmer gone too far?

December 5, 2023
Two young women holding hands in demonstration

Human Rights Day

December 5, 2023
Margaret Thatcher

Keir Starmer’s praise of Margaret Thatcher

December 4, 2023

MOST READ

David Lammy

Lammy’s mood music – sidestepping towards Rejoin?

December 2, 2023
Margaret Thatcher

In praise of Thatcher: has Starmer gone too far?

December 5, 2023
Polling station

Proportional Representation vs First Past the Post

November 6, 2022 - Updated On May 23, 2023
Margaret Thatcher

Keir Starmer’s praise of Margaret Thatcher

December 4, 2023

BROWSE BY TAGS

Audio Beach Brexit Business castle leazes climate activism Co. Durham comedy cost of living crisis Culture defra democracy ducklings Economy Education Environment fire and rescue firefighter Food & Drink food poverty hardwick festival Health Health & Care Home Affairs just stop oil Lifestyle Local Lockdown Northumberland Peace peoples theatre Performance Politics pride month refugee rescue Science Teesside the good life TV & Radio Tynemouth Tyneside Ukraine volunteer Wearside

We are a not-for-profit citizen journalism publication. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in the North East and beyond.

North East Bylines is a trading brand of Bylines Network Limited, which is a partner organisation to Byline Times.

Learn more about us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Authors
  • Complaints
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Letters
  • Privacy
  • Network Map
  • Network RSS Feeds
  • Submission Guidelines

© 2023 North East Bylines. Powerful Citizen Journalism

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Brexit
    • Education
    • Environment
    • UK News
    • Transport
    • World News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • Culture
    • Music
    • Poetry
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Technology
    • Trade
  • Donate
  • Newsletter sign up
  • Boriiis Cartoons
  • Authors
  • Audio
CROWDFUNDER

© 2023 North East Bylines. Powerful Citizen Journalism

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In