Scottish government consults on ending the Universal Credit two-child cap

Views sought on flagship policy

The Scottish Government is launching a consultation on its plans to end the two-child cap on benefits.

Eradicating child poverty is the government’s top priority and ministers have committed to ending the limit by April 2026, or sooner if possible. The Child Poverty Action Group estimate that scrapping the two-child cap in Scotland could lift 15,000 children out of poverty. 

The consultation is seeking views from the public and stakeholders about the most effective ways to put systems in place to mitigate the effects of the two-child cap. It asks for views on questions such as whether Social Security Scotland should administer top-up payments.

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Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne 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. If we can safely get the systems up and running earlier than April 2026, then we will make our first payments earlier – helping to lift thousands more children out of poverty.

“We have launched a consultation calling for people to respond as we look to put the necessary systems in place to achieve our goal. 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.

“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 consultation closes on April 18th 2025.