Labour’s proposal to eliminate the two-child benefit restriction has cleared a significant hurdle following a parliamentary vote to abolish the controversial cap.

In a decisive move, MPs voted 458-104 in favor of scrapping the policy implemented during the Conservative era. This decision is seen as a crucial step in dismantling a rule that has been criticized for exacerbating child poverty. The outcome of the vote defied opposition from Nigel Farage’s Reform party and Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives.

After the vote, Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, expressed satisfaction, stating that Parliament’s action was a vital stride towards fulfilling the commitment to combat child poverty. The aim is to transform the trajectory of children’s lives, offering them equal opportunities to excel in education, maintain good health, and contribute positively to society in adulthood.

During the Tuesday evening vote, two new Reform members, former Tory MPs Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick, mistakenly supported the abolishment of the two-child benefit limit. They found themselves inadvertently locked in the wrong lobby, according to Sky News. A Reform spokesperson clarified the situation, attributing the error to a genuine mistake. Nigel Farage did not cast a vote, while the other five Reform MPs opposed the government’s proposal.

The Reform party’s stance on the issue has been inconsistent, with Farage initially pledging to eliminate the two-child benefit limit as part of his spending commitments but later reversing his position. He clarified that the policy change would only apply to families where both parents are British and working full-time.

In response to the events, Labour’s MP for Rochdale, Paul Waugh, critiqued Reform UK, questioning their ability to govern effectively. Kemi Badenoch, a prominent Conservative figure, also mocked the two defectors from the Tories to Reform, emphasizing that they are now Farage’s responsibility.

If the Bill is fully approved, it will remove the restrictions on claiming Universal Credit and Child Tax Credits for the first two children in a household. The limit was introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017, and since taking office in July 2024, Labour has faced pressure to abolish it.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the decision to scrap the cap in her Autumn Budget with the aim of lifting an estimated 450,000 children out of poverty. In a recent article, Reeves criticized the previous government’s decision to maintain the cap, highlighting its detrimental impact on families, including the introduction of the controversial rape clause.

Data from the Department of Work and Pensions revealed that the two-child benefit restriction affected a total of 469,780 households across Great Britain in the year up to April 2025. The majority of these households (59%) were employed and housed approximately 1.7 million children.