The decision to lift the Two-Child Benefit Cap in the Budget has been hailed as a welcome start to tackling poverty on the Isle of Wight.
Councillor Michael Lilley, whose motion calling for the limit to be scrapped was passed by the Isle of Wight Council in March, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was “delighted” with the announcement.
The 2-child limit restricts universal credit support to two children in a family and removing it will lift 350,000 children out of poverty in the UK, according to the Child Poverty Action Group.
Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the cap would be lifted in full from April next year.
She said that the Labour government is achieving the greatest reduction in child poverty over a parliament “since records began”.
Cllr Lilley, the Liberal Democrat representative for Ryde Appley and Elmfield, said:
“I am delighted that the government has finally listened to all those campaigning against child poverty, including myself.
“I have been campaigning for over 10 years on the Isle of Wight with an annual event around Pancake Day about the plight of families on the Island who without foodbanks would not survive.
Article continues below this advertisement “In the 21st century UK we should not have child poverty. My motion in March was highlighting the reality of families with three or more children being penalised due to this unfair cap resulting in poverty.
“We still must do much more to alleviate poverty on the Island, but this is a welcomed start.”
Responding to the plans yesterday on social media, Isle of Wight West MP Richard Quigley said:
“This is why I am a Labour MP: this government is lifting 450,000 children out of poverty. That change will make a huge difference to life chances, education, and attainment.”
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Dreadful decision..most of us knew the cost of a family that’s why most of us had 1/2 kids..the size of a house a car the costs of holidays but today its taxpayer pays towards large families and we know the other types…part of a wont work don’t work society.
If one cannot afford children don’t have them
it’s another burden on tax payers.
How many CHRISTIAN ✝️ Island families have more than 2 kids??? This is a political move by Labour purely for the massive Muslim ☪️ vote and nothing else… Don’t fall for it
You are 110% correct, this government are
buying their votes.
Not to mention the Dinghy voters.
Be careful what you wish for. If you can’t afford them don’t have them. If children are being born “into poverty” isn’t it the parents that are at fault for having them?
It’s marvellous that our councillor can’t even agree on the poverty numbers and have exasperated them by 100,000 children.
Totally agree with many, if can’t afford dont have. You wouldn’t do it with a luxury pet or car for example.
It’s a clear message to print more children which is so cruel to new kids bearing in mind the lack of opportunities and prospects for their future.
Sarcasm says, the government just wants more young individuls to support their greedy wallets and drive the drivel of what they call ‘Our Economy’ and expect the taxpayer to pay for it.