DiscoverIFS Zooms In: The EconomyShould Labour scrap the two-child limit?
Should Labour scrap the two-child limit?

Should Labour scrap the two-child limit?

Update: 2025-10-09
Share

Description

The two-child limit stops most families on Universal Credit from claiming support for a third or later child — worth about £3,500 a year per child. Introduced in 2017, it’s now at the centre of a political debate, with the Chancellor under pressure to scrap or reform it in the November Budget.


Helen talks to IFS economists Tom Waters and Christine Farquharson about why the policy was introduced, how it’s affected families and child poverty, and what the options are for changing or removing it.


🎟️ Plus, we share details of our upcoming live recording at the British Library on 4th November, part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science. Sign up here: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-how-could-chancellor-raise-more-tax


Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership


Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comments 
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Should Labour scrap the two-child limit?

Should Labour scrap the two-child limit?