THE Scottish Government is one step closer to ending the two-child benefit cap after opening a consultation on the policy – saying they will start payments as soon as possible.
John Swinney's government has said fighting child poverty by scrapping the Westminster policy is its "top priority", with an aim to do so by April 2026.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said on Friday that it would be ended faster if possible. "If we can safely get the systems up and running earlier than April 2026, then we will make our first payments earlier," she said,
The Child Poverty Action Group estimates that ending the cap in Scotland could lift 15,000 children out of poverty.
Somerville said: “The UK Government has failed to scrap the two-child cap despite it being a key driver of child poverty. In the face of such inaction the Scottish Government is determined to end the impact in Scotland.
“We have made clear to the UK Government what is needed for us to end the impact of this policy and I would urge people and organisations across Scotland to contribute to make their views known.”
Somerville has called out for support from across party divides in order to commit investment to battling poverty and to remove the cap itself: “The draft 2025-26 Budget continues to invest more than £3 billion to policies which tackle poverty and the cost of living for households – and I would hope that would command widespread support across Parliament.
"There is irrefutable evidence that the two child limit is increasing poverty and hardship across the UK. We have repeatedly called on the UK Government to end the two-child cap, and we have been just one of many voices saying the same thing.
“Until they do so, the Scottish Government will do everything in its power to mitigate the policy, which helps create child poverty.”
The Tories insisted their two-child benefit cap, which prevents people from claiming benefits for third or subsequent children in most cases, was intended to push parents back into work, though instead put thousands of children into poverty.
Labour have failed to lift the policy since coming to power and even suspended seven MPs for voting to end it by supporting an SNP motion at Westminster.
