Over 40 celebrities have joined anti-poverty charity Trussell in calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to scrap the two-child limit in the upcoming autumn budget.
The two-child limit, which restricts support from the social security system to just two children, is punishing children for their existence and forcing families to food banks. Removing the two-child limit in the autumn budget is the most effective way to protect children from hunger, give them a decent start in life, and help them reach their potential.
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Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing to implore that you fully remove the cruel two-child limit which is pushing 109 more children into hardship every single day. Ending it is the right thing to do – we need you to do it now.
The two-child limit, which restricts support from the social security system to two children, even when their parents can work, is punishing children for their existence and pushing families to food banks. We cannot stand by while this continues to happen.
Millions more people are facing hunger than a couple of years ago, and families with children are at particularly high risk. 4 in 10 families with 3 or more children face hunger, around twice as high as the rate for families with one or two children and almost 1 in 3 (29%) food bank parcels provided by the Trussell community go to families with three or more children, despite them making up just 11% of the UK population. This is not right.
Every week, food banks meet parents who’ve been doing everything they can to protect their children from hunger. Skipping meals for weeks so there’s enough for the kids to eat, making games out of wrapping up in blankets to avoid turning on the heating, trying to pretend everything’s okay – but it’s not okay.
Removing the two-child limit is the most effective way to protect children from hunger, give them a decent start in life, and help them reach their potential – there is no time to waste in a child’s life. It is your duty to act on your commitment to tackling child poverty – we need you to fully remove the two-child limit now.
Yours sincerely,
Simon Pegg
Bill Nighy
Mark Bonnar
Jason Manford
Stanley Tucci
Joely Richardson
Kalvin Phillips
Jodie Whittaker
Anna Maxwell Martin
Christopher Eccleston
Tyrone Mings
Romesh Ranganathan
Si King
Charlotte Ritchie
Tom Grennan
Aisling Bea
Ben Willbond
James Acaster
Miquita Oliver
Levi Roots
Tom Kerridge
Becky Hill
Brian Cox
Rosemary Shrager
Adam Buxton
Jason Isaacs
AJ Odudu
Julie Graham
Daisy May Cooper
Charlie Cooper
Lydia West
Arabella Weir
Arlene Phillips
Kellie Shirley
Glenn Tilbrook
Daisy Haggard
Suzi Ruffell
Rosie Jones
Mark Hoyle (Ladbaby)
Rox Hoyle (Ladybaby)
Teacher Tommy T (Teacher and content creator)
Dr Emeka Okorocha (Doctor and content creator)
Armando Iannucci
Mike Rosenberg.