First Minister: Labour sticking to two-child cap is ‘unforgiveable’

Humza Yousaf said the Scottish Government is ‘taking action’.

First Minister Humza Yousaf during his tour of Peterhead Power Station, Aberdeenshire. Picture date: Tuesday July 18, 2023. (PA Wire)

The First Minister for Scotland said the leader of the UK Labour Party’s decision to keep the two-child benefit cap is “deeply shameful”.

Responding to questions while visiting Peterhead Power Station, Humza Yousaf was asked if the Scottish Government would consider using its own powers to mitigate the benefit cap, similar to how it responded to the bedroom tax.

Mr Yousaf said: “First of all, we’re spending £3 billion mitigating the effects of UK government austerity, the UK Government cost-of-living crisis.

“That’s £3 billion, frankly, I’d rather be spending on hospitals, schools and public transport.

“And we are taking action of course. Recent estimates suggest that through our actions, the Scottish governments’ actions, we could lift potentially 90,000 children out of poverty in 2023.

“50,000 out of poverty just from the Scottish child payment alone in fact.

“So we’re doing what we can but the source of this of course is at the UK Government.”

I have to say, for Sir Keir Starmer to say he's going to retain the two-child limit to me is unforgivable

Humza Yousaf, First Minister for Scotland

The two-child benefit stops parents from being able to claim for child tax credits or universal credit for any third or more child born after April 2017.

It is estimated that 1.5 million children are affected by the cap, which has been criticised by more over 50 organisations, and wide calls for it to be scrapped.

The First Minister criticised UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to get rid of the two-child limit.

He said: “I have to say, for Sir Keir Starmer to say he’s going to retain the two-child limit to me is unforgivable.

“It’s a deliberate policy choice to keep up to 15,000 children in Scotland in poverty, and huge questions not just for Keir Starmer, but for Anas Sarwar.

“Was he consulted about this? Did he know about this policy U-turn?

“If he didn’t, is he really happy that his Westminister colleagues in London can make a decision and impose it upon Scotland, that would keep, as I say, up to 15,000 children in poverty. That to me is deeply shameful.”