Briefing: The impact of scrapping to the two-child limit
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 3rd September
The Scottish Health Equity Research Unit (SHERU) has published its latest "Prevention Watch" briefing, detailing some of the key activity relating to preventative approaches to reducing health inequalities.
Among the stories covered is the impact that the scrapping of the two-child limit benefit cap in Scotland, which the Scottish Government have announced will take place from March 2026.
Analysis shows that this measure will lift approximately 15,000 children out of relative poverty, with another 43,000 children benefiting financially in some way.
This means a monthly payment of £292.81 per eligible child will be paid by Social Security Scotland, with total annual costs ranging between £130 and £155 million.
Child Poverty Action Group recently found that across the UK 1.6 million children in almost half a million families have been affected by the limit, calling it the "primary driver of rising child poverty".
CPAG also found that the cap unfairly impacts women, Black and minority ethnic families, and families with disabled members.
In the briefing, SHERU call scrapping the policy in Scotland "good example of a concrete upstream measure," while noting the lack of the connection to the Population Health Framework - published on the same day and designed to embed prevention in Scottish public policy.
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