This is a Budget that finally admits children deserve better than a decade of punitive policy

The decision to scrap the two-child limit on Universal Credit is not just a policy change, it is a statement of principle: no child should be punished for the number of siblings they have.

For 1.6 million children, this cruel restriction will finally end, giving families a fairer chance to cover essential costs and meet their children’s needs.

The move signals the Government’s commitment to improving the lives and futures of children across the country.

The urgency of this decision cannot be overstated. Last week, UNICEF revealed new data showing that over the last decade, the UK has experienced the sharpest rise in child poverty of any high-income country - a staggering 34% increase in relative child income poverty between 2013 and 2023. Deep poverty has surged by 67% compared to EU nations, as government spending on children fell by £3.6 billion between 2018 and 2024.

This trajectory is unacceptable for a country that prides itself on fairness and opportunity.

Disinvestment today becomes disadvantage tomorrow.

Cutting support for families has often been framed as a “tough” but necessary choice. In reality, the costs of child poverty - both immediate and long-term - are far higher. In the short-term it pushes children’s needs onto hospitals, foodbanks and other local services, while also risking damaging their health, development and learning for years to come.

Child poverty is estimated to cost the government £39 billion annually through lost tax revenue and increased spending.

The case for change is clear. Removing the two-child limit will lift 400,000 children out of poverty immediately and reduce the depth of poverty for nearly a million more.

This decision positively demonstrates this Government’s commitment to children’s lives and future opportunities. It is also thanks to tireless campaigning from across the children’s sector and families bravely sharing their testimonies – over 100,000 people signed our petition, and thousands contacted their MPs.

The message is clear: policies that push children into poverty have no place in the UK.

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Joanna Rea is the Director of Advocacy at The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK)

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