Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to lift any other elements of the benefit cap beyond scrapping the two-child limit.

The benefit cap limits the total amount of benefits a working age household can receive and is applied through Universal Credit and Housing Benefit. The benefit cap aims to incentivise work as, where possible, it is in the best interest of children to be in working households. The Department provides a range of support for people to prepare for, move into and progress in work. We are delivering a step-change in employment and skills support for parents, enabling parents to balance work and caring responsibilities through high quality, flexible jobs, and improving access to childcare so parents are better able to work. There are no plans to change the benefit cap policy.

Alongside employment support, the Department supports families in work through an exemption from the benefit cap for households earning at least £846 each month. There is also protection for the most vulnerable as those who are caring or are severely disabled are exempt from the benefit cap.

Removing the two child limit is the fastest and most cost-effective way to reduce child poverty over this Parliament and estimated to alone lift 450,000 children out of poverty by the end of this Parliament. It builds on major action we’ve already taken including expanding Free School Meals for over half a million children, investing £39 billion in social and affordable housing, £13.2 billion in the Warm Homes Plan, and rolling out Best Start Family Hubs backed by £500 million.