Overview
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the policy will be lifted from April, ending the 2017 limit on Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit support beyond a second child.
- About 470,000 families have been affected by the cap to date, covering roughly 1.7 million children, with official data showing most of those households were in work.
- New DWP breakdowns highlight local impact, including 3,050 families in Stoke-on-Trent and 12,070 children in northern Lincolnshire living in affected households.
- Charities and campaigners welcomed the move, while Conservatives branded it a "Budget for Benefits Street" and signalled they would restore the cap.
- Media analysis reports larger shares of beneficiaries in some high‑migration areas, the government says eligibility rules tied to immigration status are unchanged, and the annual cost is estimated at about £3 billion by 2029/30 with typical gains of around £3,455 per extra child.