Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effect on families of the two-child limit on Child Tax Credit in Northern Ireland.

The government has committed to annual statistics releases related to the operation of the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children. Statistics related to the period up to April 2020 were published in July 2020 and can be accessed at Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, April 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Table 5 shows that 5,540 families receiving Child Tax Credit in Northern Ireland were affected by the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children born on or after 6 April 2017. A further 230 families in Northern Ireland continued to receive support due to an exception.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) administers Universal Credit (UC) for Great Britain and therefore does not hold data relating to Northern Ireland. UC in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Social Security Agency.

An estimate of the total entitlement foregone as a result of the changes on 6 April 2017 is not available for 2019-20 until tax credits finalised awards data for that year have been processed, which is expected to be completed by summer 2021.