Overview
- In a London speech marking CPAG’s 60th anniversary, Gordon Brown called the policy a harmful prejudice and urged funding repeal through higher gambling levies projected to raise about £3.2 billion.
- HM Treasury is reported to be modelling options including lifting support to three or four children or introducing a taper, with full abolition still under consideration.
- Official figures show 4.45 million children were in relative low income to March 2024, and campaigners estimate the limit pushes roughly 109 children into poverty each day.
- Think tanks estimate scrapping the limit would cost roughly £3–£3.5 billion over the parliament and could lift up to around 500,000 children out of poverty.
- The debate has intensified after George Osborne defended the cap to MPs, as polling shows 59% favour keeping it but strong support for higher gambling levies to reduce child poverty.