New data: 19% children in W Belfast impacted by two-child limit

Sunday 6th April marked eight years since the implementation of the two-child limit to the child element of Universal Credit. The Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network is a member of the End Child Poverty Coalition, which has released new two-child limit data showing:

• Across Northern Ireland 1 in 10 children live in a family impacted by the two-child limit, but rates in some parliamentary constituencies are much higher. In West Belfast, 19%; North Belfast 15.5% and in Foyle 13% of children live in households impacted by the two-child limit.
• There is a strong positive correlation between the percentage of children living in poverty in constituencies, and the percentage of children impacted by the policy. Where you have high levels of child poverty, you have a higher proportion of families impacted by the policy.
• Constituencies with the highest number of children impacted would see an increase to their local economy of up to £7.5 million per year.
• The two-child limit impacts NI differently than the rest of the UK, as households are larger and more rural. 34% of people in NI live rurally, compared to 17% in Scotland and England, and 32% in Wales . And, 21.4% of NI families have 3 or more children, compared to 14.7% in UK as a whole. Rural households tending to have more children. This new data shows that: Newry Armagh, West Tyrone, Upper Bann, Mid Ulster, East Londonderry, South Down, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and North Antrim all have more than 1 in 10 children living in families impacted by the two-child limit.

Child poverty across NI is on the rise, with nearly 1 in 4 children living in poverty. Constituencies, such as Belfast West, have 1 in 3 children living in poverty.

According to the Child Poverty Action Group, scrapping the two-child limit is the more cost effective way to reduce child poverty. The two-child limit to benefit payments is a cruel policy which pushes families into poverty. It deprives families who claim benefit payments of the child element of this, if their third child was born after April 2017.

1 in every 10 children in Northern Ireland lives in a home which has benefit payments reduced by this policy. The Cliff Edge Coalition has long been calling on Stormont to remove the two-child limit, and for the Northern Ireland MP’s to use their influence to scrap this unjust policy.

Rosie, a mother of three children who is impacted by the two-child limit to benefit payments said;

“I have found myself relying on credit cards and ‘buy now pay later’ for essential items like bills and fresh food, fruit and vegetables to feed three growing children. My children have missed out on extracurricular activities which inevitably would have had a positive impact on their education, social skills and self-confidence.”

The picture is bleak across the UK.

The new data shows that Hackney North and Stoke Newington is the constituency in England with the highest percentage of children impacted by the two-child limit. At 33%, 1 in 3 children here live in families impacted by the two-child limit. Hackney North and Stoke Newington could benefit by £19 million annually if the policy was scrapped.

The new data also shows that Cardiff East is the constituency In Wales with the highest percentage of children impacted by the two-child limit. At 17%, just under 1 in 5 children here live in families impacted by the two-child limit. Cardiff East could benefit by £4.5 million annually if the policy was scrapped.

Glasgow South West is the constituency with the highest percentage of children impacted by the two-child limit in Scotland. At 17%, just under 1 in 5 children here live in families impacted by the two-child limit. This constituency could benefit by £4 million annually if the policy was scrapped.

Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK and Chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition said:

“Scrapping the two-child limit is a crucial first step to address rising child poverty across the UK. By doing this the government could also see a boost to local economies, targeting some of the most deprived areas of the country. We don’t want to see another year of families suffering as a result of the two-child limit. The government must scrap this policy as part of their soon to be published strategy to tackle child poverty.”

A copy of the new report ‘At the Limit’ and the full data are available to download here: https://endchildpoverty.org.uk/two_child_limit-2025/

The End Child Poverty Coalition (www.endchildpoverty.org.uk) is made up of over 130 organisations from civic society including children’s charities, child welfare organisations, social justice groups, faith groups, trade unions and others, united in our vision of a UK free of child poverty.

Members include Child Poverty Action Group, The Children’s Society, Buttle UK, Gingerbread, Oxfam GB, Action for Children, Trade Unions Congress, Save the Children, the National Children’s Bureau, and the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network.