First Minister Eluned Morgan calls for two-child benefit cap to end

Wales’ first minister has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Eluned Morgan said her government was “really worried about child poverty” and described the policy, which came into force in 2017, as “damaging”.

She added it “prevents most families from claiming means-tested benefits for any third or additional children born after April of that year”.

It comes after the UK government’s education minister, Bridget Phillipson, said on Tuesday that this policy had driven many families into poverty and “nothing is off the table” as they look at scrapping it.

Speaking to BBC Wales at the Urdd Eisteddfod on Wednesday, Morgan said her government was “really worried about child poverty”.

The first minister met with Sir Keir last week in London, following disagreements between the pair and Morgan calling on the PM to “cough up for Wales”.

The UK government is expected to announce its decision on the cap in autumn, when it publishes its child poverty strategy.

“Today we’ve issued a statement to call on the UK government to get rid of the two child benefit cap,” said Morgan.

“We think it is damaging for lots of families in Wales.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s spending review, which sets out the UK government’s financial priorities between now and the next general election, is due to conclude next month.

Asked why now is the time to scrap the child benefit cap policy, Morgan said it was “not a new ask” from the Welsh government, but a case of “putting it up in neon lights”, adding: “Now is the time that the decisions are being made in relation to the spending review.

“There are a lot of other competing issues. I want rail money for Wales as well.

“I get that the Chancellor has some tough decisions to make. But Labour needs to be the party that’s concerned about child poverty, and we are.”

Morgan said she had “a really good relationship” with Sir Keir and she could “speak very frankly” with him.

“But there’s an understanding that I’m running a government here in Wales, and he’s running a government,” she added.

“Sometimes, our priorities are slightly different. I have to speak up for Wales and that’s what I do.

“This spending review is key, it’s critical, but not all of the decisions, not all of the things we want, will be determined in the spending review.

“We may have to wait until the budget in the autumn to get some of the other things we were calling for.”