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The two-child limit means families are not allowed to access support through Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit, for more than two children, if children were born after April 2017. The limit was introduced in 2017, and was unprecedented in the UK social security system, in creating differing support levels, based on sibling numbers. It has long been opposed by church leaders and charities on moral reasons, and is described by Save The Children as a sibling tax. Today, 1.6 million children in 440,000 households are affected, and families are being denied access to £3,455 a year. Churches have always been among the most vocal critics of the policy. The effort is being stepped up now because the new Government has launched a Child Poverty Strategy, and there are hopes that Ministers might heed the growing calls. We hope the policy will be removed in the Budget in October. We urge all church leaders to add your names to our call for an end to this harmful and unjust policy. Please sign the letter now, or ask the leaders of your church to sign when you see them this Sunday.
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