Written by There has been much discussion recently about the two-child benefit cap. This is seen as a major cause of hardship for families with more than two children. The Child Poverty Action Group’s research (April 2023) found that 82% of families affected by this cap were struggling with their energy bills and 87% were struggling to pay for food. The Child Poverty Action Group estimated that if the cap were abolished 250,000 children would be lifted out of poverty. This benefit cap is considered by some to have a racist element as ethnic minorities tend to have large families.
The Social Responsibility Committee asks you to write to your MP now to ask her/him to urge the government to make the abolition of the benefit cap a priority. Please see below a sample letter provided.
You can find your MP by postcode on the Parliament website.
(Your name, address and postcode)
Dear (name of MP)
I am writing to you to ask for your support. I am very concerned about child poverty in our country and local communities, and believe that the removal of the Two-child benefit cap would greatly help to reduce it. I would therefore urge our new government to consider abolishing this benefit cap a priority in their planning.
Research by the Child Poverty ActionGroup (April 2023) has shown that the abolition of this benefit cap would take 250,000 children out of poverty. It is not enough to postpone consideration until later. Action should be taken now to bring families with young children out of poverty.
Can we count on your support to raise this issue with the government and in parliament?
Yours sincerely,
(name)