Changing Realities

According to Jonny Roberts, a @changingrealities.bsky.social participant and Universal Credit recipient, the system is too often defined by a lack of trust.

But there are better (and simpler) ways of doing things, especially when it comes to childcare ⤵️

All Scottish children need extra help, not just babies EVERY day, around 125 babies are born in Scotland. Each new life represents a new beginning but also significant, and often scary, changes for their…

"It was right to increase the Scottish Child Payment to £40 for babies. But they should have been braver and increased it for all children on a low income" Read @ilonapin.bsky.social and @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social new piece in @scotnational.bsky.social

www.thenational.scot/politics/257...

Excellent new report, grounded in the lived experiences, collective reflection and strategic insight of @changingrealities.bsky.social participants.

As Alara says, "claimants can be great individual case studies to learn from, but, collectively, can be great co-workers for this change process"

Today we launch our co-produced report with Resolution Foundation. Participants from CR shaped many of the discussions and recommendations that you will find within the report. We call for structural and cultural changes to UC that could drastically improve interactions with the system. Read below👇

📢 💷 Ahead of the Scottish government budget for 2026-27 published this afternoon, we've published a policy briefing based on findings from our Family Finances study in partnership with colleagues and participants from the @changingrealities.bsky.social project 🧵

On December 18, 2025, I stepped through the iconic black door of No. 10 Downing Street, carrying more than just a diary appointment. I brought with me hope, memories, and the quiet weight of every family whose story has intertwined with the mission we pursue at Changing Realities.

"As a mother, my heart swelled with pride. But as an advocate, I felt something even deeper: a reassuring reminder that this country still has space for compassion..." Why we [continue to] do this work, a blog by Beauty reflecting on a visit to No.10: www.changingrealities.org/blog/hope-at...

So it came as a massive surprise to me that not only were we listened to but some of the things we called for – for example, the removal of the cruel two-child limit – were actually implemented.

'When I was inside No 10 Downing Street, I felt included & like I was part of something bigger & more powerful than I ever could have imagined. But this is not the end. Next year, we will continue to work for change: hopefully stronger, bigger & better.' www.changingrealities.org/blog/ending-...

Reflecting on her year as part of @changingrealities.bsky.social Sahar Khan writes: 'deep down though I feared that the voices of me & the parents like me are weak, & that it was all happening for the sake of it. Nothing will change, I worried. And who will listen to any of us, and especially to me?

So it came as a massive surprise to me that not only were we listened to but some of the things we called for – for example, the removal of the cruel two-child limit – were actually implemented.

'When I was inside No 10 Downing Street, I felt included & like I was part of something bigger & more powerful than I ever could have imagined. But this is not the end. Next year, we will continue to work for change: hopefully stronger, bigger & better.' www.changingrealities.org/blog/ending-...

A large group of adults and children stand outside the door of 10 Downing Street with a Christmas tree behind them on the lefthand side.

📸 Yesterday @lshtm.bsky.social’s Maddy Power & families from @changingrealities.bsky.social met Sir Keir Starmer & @darrenpjones.bsky.social at 10 Downing Street to discuss challenging #childpoverty in the UK.

Changing Realities is a collaboration between LSHTM @glasgow.ac.uk @cpaguk.bsky.social

Yesterday, over 60 of us fr @changingrealities.bsky.social came together in @10dowingstreet.bsky.social for a reception at which the PM & @darrenpjones.bsky.social thanked us for our efforts to push for action on child poverty. Together, we can make change happen. But this is just the beginning.

'Bah humbug politics and the cruelty of the two-child limit' - LabourList The language of 'Benefits Street' is a rhetoric completely devoid of compassion. Those using it should hang their heads in shame.

'The current government has successfully created the foundations for reducing child poverty with the removal of two-child limit. They now need to build on this to permanently eradicate child poverty.' Festive piece on scrapping of the 2CL in @labourlist.bsky.social labourlist.org/2025/12/bah-...

It was a lot. I didn’t realise I’d be placed all over social media. I thought it would be just a couple of pictures for something, but it is what it is now. I have thought about it a lot this morning and I had to put my thoughts down on paper.

'I will never be sorry for standing my ground and standing up for what I believe is right.'

Vital, if hard to read, words from Stacey @changingrealities.bsky.social about why she won't be stopped from speaking out about poverty by trolls

www.changingrealities.org/blog/why-i-w...

CR participant, Izzy, wrote about the challenges of upfront childcare costs for people accessing Universal Credit and the challenges that come with wraparound care for children with SEND. The blog recommends changes that could improve this system. Read here: changingrealities.org/blog/jumping...

A year ago today I joined some of the incredible @changingrealities.bsky.social parents at Downing Street who shared what changes are needed to end child poverty - incl why the two-child limit must be scrapped. It’s brilliant to see yesterday’s announcement after so much hard work from so many.

It is really remarkable that this was just 12 months ago today. And that we woke up this morning to a country which will finally get rid of the two-child limit. The parents and carers we work with have been instrumental along with others especially @cpaguk.bsky.social in making this change happen.

Kim explains that her husband lost her job during COVID, & the family were surviving up until then. But since then, they've been barely surviving. Right now, she's not got the heating on despite it being freezing, as they have to save it for when the children are at home.

BBC Radio 4 - World at One Forty-five minutes of news, analysis and comment, with Sarah Montague.

Kim speaking to BBC World at One right now, about the impact of the two-child limit lifting on her family. She says she hopes it'll give her some breathing space.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b...

"...The removal of the two-child limit means families like mine might truly be able to thrive without being unfairly judged or held back simply because of its size." (Kim, CR parent) #2CL #Budget 🧵3/3

"...It means that all of my sons can receive the support they deserve, easing so much of the day-to-day stress I’ve been carrying. Most importantly, it gives me the chance to focus more on their happiness, their opportunities, and their future." (Kim, CR parent) #2CL #Budget 🧵2/3

"The removal of the two-child limit brings my family a deep sense of relief. Without the cap hanging over me, I finally feel less weighed down by constant financial worry and more able to make choices that genuinely reflect what each of my boys’ need." (Kim, CR parent) #2CL #Budget 🧵1/3

"It’s amazing to hear that the 2 child benefit cap has been lifted after so many years of campaigning for this change. This will help lift so many families out of poverty and although there is still a lot of work to do, it is a step in the right direction going forward." (Stacey, CR parent) #2CL

My quick-fire take for @prospectmagazine.co.uk on why we should celebrate the scrapping of the two-child limit

Draws on research for @nuffieldfoundation.org & ongoing work with the amazing @changingrealities.bsky.social

The fight to end child poverty goes on. But today we must celebrate. It will make a real, lasting difference to families the breadth of the UK and I’m so grateful to everyone in @changingrealities.bsky.social & @cpaguk.bsky.social who have advocated tirelessly for its full abolition

Our reflections on the challenges of life on a low income, and thoughts on where change is most needed.

Parents from Changing Realities react to the news that the "two child limit" will be removed from April 2026. #Budget #2CL 🧵4/4 Read our blog posts here: www.changingrealities.org/blog

"We have to think twice about luxuries – being able to afford basics is enough let alone splashing out. The cost of living has gone up and it has been so difficult for so long. The lifting of the two-child limit should help to go some way towards having a decent standard of living." (Ashley) 🧵3/4

" ...there is nothing left over for unexpected issues or costs, which is a real struggle, particularly for a single parent. Xmas holidays are coming up, too, and my kids are limited from doing anything fun, for example, a basic meal at Pizza Hut for a family of four is easily around £40-£50." 🧵2/4

"The lifting of the two-child limit will help to relieve the situation of so many families like mine. Winter is here and I’m having to budget on heating..." (Ashley, Changing Realities parent affected by 2-child limit) 🧵1/4 #Budget #2CL

Spoken at the Resolution Foundation on 12th November 2025

Our participant Tayyba recently delivered a powerful speech at a roundtable at @resolutionfoundation.org. The powerful speech touched on single parenthood, in-work poverty and domestic violence and why we need to centre and protect our children's futures: changingrealities.org/writings/tod...

Changing Realities is a project bringing together almost 200 parents and carers across the UK. The project documents what life is like for parents on a low income and, using lived experience, campaigns for the change we need to see.

Recently, we attended @ipprscotland.bsky.social 10 year anniversary event. CR participant James sat on a panel titled: 'Can Scotland meet its poverty targets' alongside CPAG and the Poverty Truth Community. He wrote a wonderful speech which can be read here: changingrealities.org/writings/cha...