UNISON is promoting a UK Parliamentary petition ‘Repeal the two child limit to Tax Credits and Universal Credit’, launched by former UNISON president Margaret McKee. It is encouraging members and the public to sign.
Since April 2017, in general you can only get child elements included in your universal credit for a maximum of two children. You cannot get a child element for a third child in your family born after April 2017. The trade union has questioned why state assistance should be limited in such a way when all children need to be fed and clothed.
The petition states: “It is a glaring injustice. It breaks the link between the assessment of children’s needs and the support they receive. It will worsen child poverty. Not all women have control over their reproductive destiny. Compulsory disclosure requirements will re-traumatise rape victims.”
In the meantime, a government decision has stepped back a bit in announcing it will not to extend the two-child limit retrospectively, but UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis warned: “The two-child limit is morally wrong and should be scrapped for everyone.
“Now at least families who had a third child before April 2017 won’t be hit, but there are still many others with younger children who will be. This is a highly flawed system that needs to be thoroughly rethought.”