Dan Paskins

But this highlights the limitations of polling single issues in isolation rather than understanding public opinion more deeply.

Most people want the overall level of child poverty to fall and expect a Labour government to prioritise that. The "Blue Labour" approach doesn't deliver these outcomes.

Where in its 2024 manifesto did Labour pledge to keep the two child limit?

Quote graphic Lindsay Judge, Research Director at the Resolution Foundation said: The Government deserve credit for beginning to turn the tide on child poverty and getting rates falling for first time in nine years (outside of the pandemic). This Strategy should be celebrated for setting out a plan to lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty over the course of the Parliament. We have long-called for the abolition of the two-child limit which unfairly penalises larger families, the vast majority of whom are in work, have very young children, or disabilities in the family. Repealing it is the right decision, and the Government should be praised for doing so despite fiscal constraints. But other child poverty headwinds remain, not least the continued freeze in Local Housing Allowance which risks further squeezing the living standards of poorer families living in the private rented sector.

The Government's Child Poverty Strategy begins to turn the tide on child poverty.

As a result, child poverty rates will fall next year – the first time in nine years (outside the pandemic).

But other child poverty headwinds remain.

Read our full statement 👇
buff.ly/Tnqasir

The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.

Literally every expert in how to help children: pls get rid of 2 child limit, here is the evidence about why this would help children

Government: ok we will get rid of 2 child limit and help children

Journalists: why is the government putting party before country

70% of the additional spending from removing the two-child limit will go to families who are in work. This is targeting support for low-income working households who are being priced out of a decent standard of living despite doing everything asked of them.

📣New @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis

Scrapping the 2 child limit alone has reversed the projected decline in living standards by *more than half* for the bottom third of households
1/2

This by @liamthorp.bsky.social is excellent

The Chancellor made a bold claim today that this parliament will see the biggest reduction in child poverty since records began.

If the Budget doc projection of child poverty falling by 400,000 is right, so is the claim. Removing the two child limit is pivotal to this reduction.

Two-child benefit limit is officially scrapped in Budget 2025 Rachel Reeves confirms policy that restricts what benefits families can receive will be removed

This is such important news. Hundreds of thousands of children taken out of poverty with the stroke of a pen.

Chart showing proportion of families impacted by the two child limit

The Chancellor has scrapped the two-child limit, benefitting more than half a million families.

In April 2025, out of families impacted by the limit:

- 6 in 10 had 3 children.
- 6 in 10 had at least one person in work.
- And 6 in 10 are receiving a health or disability benefit.

Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.

We welcome this bold action by the Chancellor to scrap the two-child limit. By the end of this Parliament, 450,000 children across the country will have been lifted out of poverty. Scrapping this unjust policy is the single most powerful step to reduce child poverty in a generation.

1/3

That’s how much the Government spends on welfare, but what do people receive in return?

Here we can see a generational shift in the generosity of support over the past two decades.

Since 2010, changes to benefits have largely favoured older age groups, while families with children have lost out.

Benefit changes and larger families We are a group of university-based researchers investigating how families with more than two children are coping with the benefit cap or the two-child limit.

Budget day is here. For all the reasons in this thread & for hundreds more, let’s hope @teamlabouruk.bsky.social does the right thing and gets rid of the two-child limit, a callous policy that has no place in a compassionate country

largerfamilies.study

A chart showing child poverty in the UK increasing sharply if the two child limit remains in place, and falling if it is scrapped.

Why the two-child limit has to go, in a chart.

Britons and the two-child limit | Trussell Luke Tryl, Executive Director of More in Common, explains why lifting the two-child limit can help Labour to build public support.

People expect Labour to reduce child poverty- esp as years of cost of living crisis means hardship is a shared experience.

Removing the two child limit is a crucial policy, and how it’s argued for matters for levels of support.

Good from @luketryl.bsky.social

www.trussell.org.uk/news-and-res...

Unions urge Reeves to prioritise living standards as CBI presses for shift on employment rights TUC calls on chancellor to focus on child poverty and upping minimum wage

83% of the public agree that no child should be living in poverty in the UK
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Image showing front cover of Government's statement on asylum and returns policy (titled 'Restoring Order and Control').

No one in the UK should experience destitution - wherever they were born – and destitution should never be an acceptable outcome of policy. But some policies announced in the Home Secretary’s asylum statement risk increasing destitution. 🧵1/7 www.gov.uk/government/p...

Funders, stop viewing your tedious and paternalistic requirements as nonprofit "accountability" Last week, I was in Toronto facilitating a conversation on equitable grantmaking with a group of colleagues, including several funders and impact investment leaders. During the rise of authoritarianis...

“give multi-year general operating dollars (MYGOD), fund faster, give more, remove barriers they impose on nonprofits —do what conservative funders have been doing for decades for their grantees. Get over these paternalistic, condescending philosophies and assumptions and act like true partners.”

Families have hope for the first time this budget. Labour must scrap the two-child limit

Moazzam Malik, chief executive of Save the Children UK, writes about why the government must scrap the two-child limit on benefits.

It really is worth taking the time to hear from people like “Mary,” who fled from Zimbabwe 20 years ago, to understand what life is like when the law denies you the chance to call the country where you’ve made your life home

Stormont’s Executive parties & Opposition stand united in a call - backed by so many in the community & voluntary sector - for the full scrapping of the 2-child limit! #everychildcounts @savechildrenuk.bsky.social @trusselluk.bsky.social

I think the lessons on childcare reform are rather different from those Iain drew, but his article is incredibly flattering so thank you for sharing

Alan Carr - Comedian playing for Neuroblastoma UK Cat Burns – Singer/Songwriter playing for the National Autistic Society Celia Imrie – Actor playing for Beat Charlotte Church – Singer/Activist playing for The Awen Project Clare Balding - Broadcaster and Author playing for Cancer Research UK David Olusoga - Historian and Filmmaker playing for Bristol Dog Action Welfare Group Greyhound & Lurcher Rescue Joe Marler – Former England Rugby Player and Podcaster playing for CALM Joe Wilkinson - Comedian playing for Wolo Foundation Jonathan Ross - Presenter playing for Cancer Research UK Kate Garraway - Broadcaster playing for Carers First Lucy Beaumont - Comedian playing for Zoe's Place Mark Bonnar - Actor playing for Action for ME Nick Mohammed - Actor and Comedian playing for Blood Cancer UK Niko Omilana - Content Creator playing for Under One Sky Paloma Faith - Singer/Songwriter and Actor playing for Save The Children Ruth Codd - Actor playing for Almost Home Animal Rescue NI Stephen Fry - Actor, Writer, Presenter playing for Mind Tameka Empson – Actor and Comedian playing for Parkinsons UK Tom Daley – Olympian, Author, Broadcaster and Entrepreneur playing for The Brain Tumour Charity

FYI: The BBC has revealed the charities #TheCelebrityTraitors were all competing for, with links so that you can donate.

YouTube video by Benefit Changes Letter to MPs

Less than two weeks till the budget. Today, I'm sharing a letter sent to MPs by parents affected by the two-child limit & benefit cap a year ago, which set out their simple plea that every child be treated the same.

Listen and share it (please) @cpaguk.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kW-...

More & more it's clear that the most effective way to help people is to listen, to understand needs, & then find ways to meet needs. A holistic, human approach.

And at the same time, i see overwhelmed services having tighter & tighter criteria on what we can offer. It's narrow & service-centric.

Clear out toys now!

Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round

Are you a developer, local authority, designer or community organisation seeking to embed children’s rights, needs & voices into planning & placemaking?

These case studies, developed by the TCPA with A Place in Childhood, deliver inspiration plus practical learning & knowledge: shorturl.at/JE2G8

speech for 60th anniversary of Child Poverty Action Group [Edited slightly for ease of reading]

Was honoured to speak at the 60th anniversary of the Child Poverty Action Group last week:

open.substack.com/pub/alisonmc...