Seven years after the Conservatives introduced the two child benefit cap, Portsmouth Liberal Democrats are launching a petition for it to be abolished.
The latest data from the End Chid Poverty Coalition shows that 14,621 children in Portsmouth live in poverty, more than one in every three children in the city and the second highest child poverty rate in Hampshire.
It has now been seven years since the cap was introduced and it has clearly failed. Abolishing the two child cap is the single most cost-effective way to tackle child poverty, so I hope we can establish a cross-party consensus to just get it done.
Charlie Murphy, Parliamentary Candidate for Portsmouth South
87% of children living in poverty are living in working families, showing that despite the two child cap, parents are working hard to put food on their children's plates.
The power to end child poverty is with central government. I hope the Conservatives and Labour will see the damage the two child cap does to parents in Portsmouth who are just trying to get their children a fair start in life. We must scrap the cap.
Cllr Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education
In Portsmouth, the Liberal Democrat-led council are supporting families with Holiday Food Vouchers and schemes like HAF Fun Pompey, which gets kids out of the house with activities and food outside of term time. The scheme is nationally recognised for its success.
We have to show the Conservatives and Labour that tackling child poverty should be a priority for the next government to establish a cross-party agreement on the issue. Will you sign our petition to scrap the cap?
Liberal Democrats call for an end to Conservatives’ two child limit as one in three children in Portsmouth live in poverty.
11,372 households in Portsmouth were forced to remortgage their homes in 2023 amidst Liz Truss’ mini-budget fallout Households in Portsmouth have faced an additional £186 per month added to their mortgage costs
