Views sought on flagship policy.
The Scottish Government is launching a consultation on its plans
to end the two-child cap on benefits.
Eradicating child poverty is the government's top priority and
ministers have committed to ending the limit by April 2026, or
sooner if possible. The Child Poverty Action Group estimate that
scrapping the two-child cap in Scotland could lift 15,000
children out of poverty.
The consultation is seeking views from the public and
stakeholders about the most effective ways to put systems in
place to mitigate the effects of the two-child cap. It asks for
views on questions such as whether Social Security Scotland
should administer top-up payments.
Social Justice Secretary said:
“The UK Government has failed to scrap the two child cap despite
it being a key driver of child poverty. In the face of such
inaction the Scottish Government is determined to end the impact
in Scotland. If we can safely get the systems up and
running earlier than April 2026, then we will make our first
payments earlier – helping to lift thousands more children out of
poverty.
“We have launched a consultation calling for people to respond as
we look to put the necessary systems in place to achieve our
goal. We have made clear to the UK Government what is needed for
us to end the impact of this policy and I would urge people and
organisations across Scotland to contribute to make their views
known.
“The draft 2025-26 budget continues to invest more than £3
billion to policies which tackle poverty and the cost of living
for households – and I would hope that would command widespread
support across Parliament.
"There is irrefutable evidence that the two child limit is
increasing poverty and hardship across the UK. We have repeatedly
called on the UK Government to end the two-child cap, and we have
been just one of many voices saying the same thing. Until they do
so, the Scottish Government will do everything in its power to
mitigate the policy, which helps create child poverty."
Background
The consultation closes on April 18th 2025
