The 2 child benefit cap lift will be cancelled out by the weekly benefit cap

[Pinkbowls]

I keep seeing all this talk about families with 6+ kids “racking it in” if the two-child benefit cap is lifted, and honestly, it’s hogwash. Here’s the reality:

If the Labour government does lift the two-child cap, it will mainly help low-income working families and families who are claiming disability benefits. These households aren’t subject to the cap, so the poorest families and those who genuinely need extra support for a third or fourth child are the ones who will benefit.

For a single adult with two children outside London, the monthly benefit cap is around £1,832 (~£423 per week). In London, it’s higher, about £2,108 per month (~£486 per week).

Now let’s break it down roughly for someone renting privately:

• Assume the standard allowance + personal allowance for the adult + child elements (for 2 kids) = around £1,200–£1,300/month.
• Private rent in many parts of the UK, and especially in London, can easily eat £800–£1,200/month.
• Add council tax support (which helps a bit, but only partially) and you can see that most of the cap is already taken up.

So in reality, lifting the two-child cap doesn’t suddenly create a pile of extra cash. For families on benefits but below the cap, the extra child element for a third or fourth child may only leave a modest amount after rent and council tax.

The idea that parents with 6+ children will suddenly be sitting on a fortune is completely overblown. The system is designed so that the support goes to those who genuinely need it, not to families already comfortably above the threshold.

The main winners of this policy will be:

• Low-income working families who are earning enough to be under the cap and can actually receive the child element for additional children.
• Families claiming disability benefits, who aren’t subject to the cap at all.

It’s important to separate myths from reality: this is about helping the most vulnerable and supporting working families, not about rewarding large families for being on benefits.

So does my salary/ bills they take the majority of my salary and I don’t have much left over and get zero help apart from a slight reduction in council tax so a just live pay check to paycheck pretty much with not a lot of fun money. Tbh I didn’t realise it’s as much as the figures you’ve listed and I also realise a lot of people won’t get the full amount, but that does seem higher than I expected. I do think there should be a better more fairer way so it doesn’t seem as a big a slap in the face but what that is I couldn’t even tell you

If my friend relied on NHS wheelchairs he would have spent the last 19 months completely bed bound. Would that basic shelter be fully wheelchair accessible, that includes wider doorways, step free access, a hoist, full wetroom, rooms big enough to get around furniture, all sockets in reach, adapted kitchen. Would the basic food include all prepared foods that can be prepared by someone with extremely limited hand and arm function? What about laundry and housework, he can’t do any of that, would he under your system be expected to live in filth?

Well said. The punching down on here is awful.

No incentive to actually work......As it's been for decades.

Yes. Where did I say he should have NO food, NO heating?
food - yes. Steak - not through government.
heating - yes. Zoo visits - not through government.
etc

Then get a job

If there were such facilities, my life would be soooo much easier. I would not care 24/7, I could work and have a really good income. I could have holidays, go out for meals, have a social life. I would have free time, I would have a LIFE, you know. and if the care is good, it would benefit DC as well.

carers get 83 per week. residential care would be in the region of 4-5k per week for someone like DC. Carers save the state a bombe. There is a reason why there isn't enough residential care as it is much cheaper to throw disabled people and carers under the bus.

I have to say I am really upset that some people believe that disabled people like DC and carers like myself should be satisfied with the absolute basics and not enjoy any quality of life despite working around the clock. I currently work part time and care for 2 DC with very complex needs. I either work or care. I get zero break. you will be relieved to hear that we are pretty poor and do not enjoy much quality of life. no holidays, no meals out, cutting back ok food and many other basics. Life is pretty shit for us. hurray, eh?

Yes they do effectively because carers element is added to their claim and there are NEETS doing this but probably not on the figures as being a carer means you don't have commitments to seek work. This means ultimately they are more unemployable after being treated as carers for a long time from a young age.

If you want him poor enough that he can’t afford a steak, then you’re surely aware he wouldn’t be able to heat his home, a steak is food, specialist clothing would be the equivalent to several steaks.

People are annoyed because affordability should dictate how many children you have. We stopped at 3 and made sure we couldn’t have any more because number 3 had been a surprise and we couldn’t afford any more children.
A family in our road has an oldest child with SEN and the family have gone on to have lots more children, they are perfectly within their rights to have as many children as they wish, however neither parents appear to work and although I can’t see what happens behind closed doors, they outwardly appear fairly comfortably housed etc.
My DH works 6 days a week averaging almost 60 hours a week, I work between 24-32, we aren’t entitled to claim anything. Many people are taking on 2nd jobs due the cost of living, so any talk of increasing benefits for people will always be emotive.

My 21 year old had to claim UC for a while this Summer. He lives in his uni city. The maximum housing benefit for a single 21 year old was 80 per week. His rent - one room in a modest shared flat - is 120 a week. He got 73 a week of UC, the first 40 of which went straight on rent. Then he had to pay other bills, food, clothing and travel to interviews on 33 a week. He was absolutely penniless. We had to help him out repeatedly.

He was trying to live on about 120 a month. Hardly the lap of luxury.

I just dont see why working people have to earn less to give more money to people on benefits. Or for a nation of nearly 70 milion to pay people to have children. Cut your coat to suit your cloth and dont be a parasite.

That should be the over-all policy and approach to this. And then people can claim a safety net (which is what benefits should be) rather than a lifestyle choice, which should be rigorously assessed in person and apply to individual circumstances.

If I am going to subsidise people to have children, I would like to be able to choose the people I subsidise.

And I would not start by subsidising people who have been unable to get their own lives together as they are highly unlikely to bring up children in such a way that they will become contributors themselves

Government funded steak 😂I have seen it all now.
If someone on UC can budget and afford a steak, then fair play to them. They might have cut back on something else to do so.

Or are you suggesting that people on benefits get food parcels delivered? Fuck it, just have them on Huel. Can't have them enjoying their food can we.

Carers allowance is deducted from UC.

They’ll complain huel is too expensive!

But that’s the problem that it’s not funded through correct channels.

funding NHS or whatever channels that he gets appropriate equipment, adjusted housing, carer - ok.
delivering this through cash benefits so people can sort it out themselves- no, because it opens it for abuse by others (NOT like your friend).

and again, basic doesn’t meant zero.

Yes. I know. That is the amount after relevant deductions

No one owes you anything in life. You are lucky you Iive in a country where tax payers can finance you at all.

The thought that disabled people and children should struggle, have only basic food and shelter is abhorrent. I cant believe people actually think like this.

Making disabled people's life HARDER and more depressing isn't going to help anyone get to a place they could work.

I am disabled and a carer, my children are disabled. One of my children is at a specialist school. One of my children is getting EOTAS, to get EOTAS means that there is not a SINGLE school in the county or reasonable distance across counties that can meet my child's needs. There is NO school that can have him, but I manage both children on my own and have no option to say "no sorry I cant meet his needs".

And I deserve only basic food and shelter? Whats that? Porridge and a tent? These threads are awful with people who often don't have a clue about disabilities.

You're honestly disgusting

One day maybe you'll be eating your words and not a steak

So food, clean clothes and a clean home isn’t okay and is beyond basic?

Yes.

Yeah but when there are millions like that, it adds up.

of course you should be helping him out; in fact he should get no UC whatsoever nor housing benefits, you as parents need to bear this cost until he finds a job.

why is it a government problem and you think you should not be “helping out”?

I thought BMW were one of the car makes that you can claim for to be paid for by tax payers. Steak wouldn't surprise me at all.