Ask your MP to scrap the two-child benefit cap 

The two-child benefit cap was introduced in 2017, affecting households that had a third or subsequent child born on or after 6 April 2017, but it is likely that awareness of its introduction began to influence women’s decision to have abortions earlier in that year. 

An analysis of official abortion statistics for England and Wales shows that between 2016 and 2021: 

• The number of abortions had by women who had previously had two or more births resulting in a live or stillbirth (this includes the population of women affected by the two-child benefit cap) increased by 25.96%
• Whereas the number of abortions had by women who had previously had one or no births resulting in a live or stillbirth (this includes the population of women NOT affected by the two-child benefit cap) increased by only 9.89%

This data shows there has been a disproportionately large increase in abortions among mothers with two or more existing children over this period.

The results of a survey suggest that the two-child benefit cap was a significant factor in many of these mothers’ decisions to have an abortion.

A survey of 240 women with two or more children who had an abortion between March and November 2020 found that 59% said they were aware of the two-child benefit cap before their abortion.

Of those in receipt of tax credits or universal credit, and therefore most likely to be affected by the two-child benefit cap, 57% “said that the policy was important in their decision-making around whether or not to continue the pregnancy”.

Among those women surveyed, one said “I did something I never imagined I would ever do… But at the back of my mind all I kept thinking is how would I have managed financially… I had to do this”.

Another said “[The two-child limit] was a big factor for me. My husband has lost his job so we are on a very tight budget and when we looked at our finances we realised we couldn’t afford to have another baby”.

Similarly, another woman said “If there was no two-child limit I would have kept the baby, but I couldn’t afford to feed and clothe it … I’ve really struggled to come to terms with [my decision]”. 

WIDER IMPACT OF POLICY

The Child Poverty Action Group has outlined that “five years after the introduction of the two-child limit, an estimated 1.4 million children in 400,000 families are now affected by the policy.”

For many families – particularly those on low incomes who rely on employment supplemented by social security – the effect of the policy has been to compound poverty, which campaigners say has been exacerbated by the failure of household incomes to maintain pace with rising costs, resulting in reduced living standards for millions of families and increasing levels of child poverty.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies states that “the two-child limit clearly contributes to higher rates of child poverty and lower material living standards for many low-income families”.

According to figures calculated by the Child Poverty Action Group, “Every year about 50,000 children are pushed into poverty as a result of the two-child limit, and a further 150,000 children who are already living in poverty see their circumstances deteriorate further.”

EVERY CHILD COUNTS 

When mothers discover they are pregnant, they should be met with the practical help and support they need to continue their pregnancy, not told that they will receive less financial support for their next child than for their previous children. 

The above evidence suggests that the two-child benefit cap is a significant factor resulting in a number of women with two or more children having an abortion. The removal of the cap would likely save a large number of lives from abortion and mean that there is more support for mothers who do continue their pregnancies. 

Enter your postcode above to ask your MP to write to the Prime Minister to ask him to scrap the two-child benefit cap.