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Written question asked by Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative) on Friday, 6 February 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Friday, 20 February 2026. It was answered by Baroness Sherlock (Labour) on Friday, 20 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Child Benefit

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of (1) families, and (2) children, who will be affected by the removal of the two child benefit cap in the next two years, including those whose no recourse to public funds status has been lifted by exemption, broken down by immigration status (a) common travel area and right of abode, (b) EU settlement scheme, (c) humanitarian, (d) refugee, (e) indefinite leave to remain (not EU settlement scheme), and (f) limited leave to remain (not EU settlement scheme).

Answer

The Department does not produce forecasts of the impact of removing the two child limit on families or children by immigration status, and the estimate requested is not available. To produce such an estimate would incur disproportionate cost.

As our published information shows, in 2026/27, we estimate around 510,000 and in 2027/28, we estimate 520,000 Universal Credit Households will benefit from this policy change.

Table 5: Estimated number of households benefitting from the policy change

2026/27

2027/28

2028/29

2029/30

2030/31

Already on UC (static) (000’s)

500

510

520

550

560

Newly entitled to UC (static) (000’s)

10

10

10

10

10

Reduction due to exceptions (static) (000’s)

- 20

- 20

- 20

- 20

- 20

Increased take-up of UC (behavioural) (000’s)

20

20

30

30

20

Total (000’s)

510

520

540

560

570

Note: Caseloads rounded to the nearest 10k and totals may not sum up due to rounding. Great Britain only.

Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament - Regulatory impact assessment template (2023 reforms)

Most migrants with temporary visas cannot access the benefit system. Access to public funds and benefits is usually at the point of settlement, which for most people will be after they have lived in the UK legally for five years, and the Home Office Earned Settlement policy consultation is looking at increasing this to ten years. The Home Office is also consulting on changing the default position to maintain No Recourse to Public Funds at settlement and lifting this only at the point of British citizenship.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL14367
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Child benefit
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk