Calls to scrap benefit cap as York children live in poverty

The motion passed at City of York Council’s full meeting called on the Government to end limits on parents claiming benefits if they have three children or more, with few exceptions.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Emilie Knight said the cruel cap was exacerbating the hardship children living in poverty faced.

Children Executive Member Cllr Bob Webb, whose Labour group backed the call, said the Government had to be financially sensible but it was looking at other ways to tackle poverty.

The call comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure to abolish the measure introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2015.

Sir Keir has so far refused to commit to the move but announced a taskforce aimed at tackling child poverty after the SNP attempted to force a vote in Parliament.

Labour said during the general election campaign that it would be in favour of removing the cap when the money is there to do so.

SNP Leader Stephen Flynn has tabled an amendment to scrap it to the King’s Speech, the Government’s proposals for its legislative programme, which could go to a vote next week.

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The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that the cap affects 1.6 million children nationally.

An Institute for Fiscal Studies report stated the cap was likely to be one driver in the increase in child poverty among larger families but it was not the only one.

The think tank’s report added that removing it would go some way to reversing the trend by taking an estimated 500,000 children out of relative poverty nationally.

Cllr Bob Webb

The motion backed by councillors on Wednesday, July 17 quoted figures stating that there are 2,737 children living in absolute poverty in York, about 8.9 per cent of the total.

That means they live in households which are unable to afford their basic needs.

A further 3,372 children, 11 per cent of York’s children, live in households in relative poverty whose income is significantly below average.

Cllr Knight said the ruling Labour group should stand up to their national party on the issue.

She added women had also had to prove that they had been raped in order to qualify for exemptions allowing for benefits to be claimed if children are conceived non-consensually.

The Rural West York ward councillor said: “This has essentially forced sexual abuse victims to choose between reliving their trauma or facing extreme financial consequences.

“This is simply a reprehensible policy that has plunged many families into deeper poverty.

“At the most recent election the Liberal Democrats included a commitment to scrap the cap in their manifesto, this was not forthcoming from Labour.”

Labour’s Cllr Webb said his group had consistently made calls to address poverty locally.

He added the Government was planning a raft of measures to address poverty.

Cllr Webb said: “This is one way of tackling poverty, but it’s not the only way.

“We’ve seen commitments from the Government on housing, taking control of energy and banning zero hours contracts that would all make a difference to people’s lives.”