MPs to vote on two-child benefits cap

MPs are set to vote on whether they support scrapping the two-child cap this evening.   

The vote was triggered after an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech was selected by the speaker.  

Another amendment tabled by Labour backbenchers, similar to the SNP’s, was not selected. It is expected that a number of them will vote in favour of the opposition.  

The cap, which prevents parents from claiming Universal Credit or child tax credit for more than two children in most circumstances, was introduced by the Conservative government in 2017.  

Analysis by the House of Commons Library shows an estimated 87,100 children in Scotland live in households which were affected by the two-child cap over the last year – with a total of 1,486,760 children impacted across Britain.  

The SNP, using data published by the Department for Work and Pensions, estimates the typical cost of the two-child cap to families in Scotland this year is £3,455 for families with three children and £6,910 for families with four children.  

Labour has said it is not prepared to make “unfunded promises”, despite calls from within the party to scrap the cap by high-profile figures like Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.  

However, a motion lodged at the Scottish Parliament by Alba leader Ash Regan titled ‘Ending the Two-child Benefit Cap’ almost two weeks ago, which seeks to have Holyrood condemn the cap, has not yet been supported by any MSPs.  

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell has confirmed on X that he will vote in favour of the SNP’s motion this evening.  

He wrote: “I don't like voting for other party's amendments, but I am following Keir Starmer's example, as he said 'put country before party'.   

“So, I am putting lifting children out of poverty before party whipping.”  

The amendment has been signed by 21 MPs, including some from Plaid Cymru, the SDLP, the Greens, the Alliance Party and independents. Former Labour leader Jeremey Corbyn has also signed it.   

A total of 19 Labour MPs, including Rosie Duffield, signed the unsuccessful amendment tabled by their party.   

Following an interview with UK education secretary Bridget Phillipson on Sky News yesterday, in which she said the government was considering removing the measure to alleviate child poverty, Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted later that day there is no "silver bullet" to ending child poverty.    

He added: “If there was a silver bullet, it would have been shot a very long time ago. It is a complicated set of factors that I know and I can see every day in my own constituency to do with pay, to do with benefits, to do with work, to do with housing, to do with education, to do with health.”  

The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “Scrapping the cap is the bare minimum required to tackle the appalling levels of child poverty in the UK. It is unconscionable that the Labour government is making a political choice to push thousands of Scottish children into poverty by keeping it in place.  

“For every day that Keir Starmer fails to act, more children will suffer. This punitive Westminster policy has to go - and it must go now. I urge Labour MPs to do the only right thing, and vote with their conscience, to end the two-child cap immediately.”  

He added: “People in Scotland voted for change at Westminster. They will be watching this vote to make sure meaningful change is now delivered, and it doesn't become a broken promise by the Labour government.  

“For Labour MPs in Scotland, this will be a test of whether they will vote in Scotland's interests to scrap the cap or toe the line of their Westminster leaders and push more Scottish children into poverty.”