Two-child benefit cap: scrapped at last

Content warning: contains references to sexual violence

As part of the 2025 autumn statement, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the controversial two-child benefit cap would be scrapped, in a bid to deal with child poverty. Obviously, while this is welcome, it could and should have been scrapped as soon as this Labour government came into office. Instead, in July 2024, seven Labour MPs who voted for scrapping it had their whip suspended for six months for going against the party leadership.

The benefit cap was introduced in 2017 by the Conservatives, restricting families from claiming benefits for more than two children. There were notable exemptions to this, including multiple births (twins, triplets, etc), some cases of adoption, and children conceived through rape.

In order to claim under this last exemption, rape survivors had to declare their ordeal to DWP. This needed to properly resourced so as to reduce the significant risks of traumatisation through reliving their assault. But many DWP staff are themselves survivors of sexual assault but had no choice about handling these declarations.

Further, DWP staff were given no training o support. They are not trained counsellors and should not be expected to be put in a situation that can very easily be extremely damaging to a claimant’s mental health. Instead, while she was Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey dressed up the process as “an opportunity to talk”.

Now, as of 6 April 2026, the cap has been removed. Letters have been issued to any claimant who has more than two children (born on or after 6 April 2017) to advise of the increase to their benefit. Any claimant who hasn’t declared additional children will need to do so. Tell your colleagues. PCS welcomes all measures to lift children out of poverty, and we must ensure that similar benefit caps are seen for the political and social evil they are and never happen again.