Labour has been told to abolish the two-child benefit cap or risk "seeing hunger, hardship and child poverty rise", a leading food bank provider has warned.
The Trussell Trust hailed news that all children in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will qualify for free school meals, regardless of household income, from September 2026, describing it as a "positive step" towards ending child poverty.
The change removes the current £7,400 annual income threshold and will make an additional 500,000 pupils eligible for the programme.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the expansion "a down payment on child poverty" and "a statement of intent" aimed at improving children's attainment to give them "the best possible start in life".
A leading food bank provider has urged Labour to abolish the two-child benefit cap or risk 'seeing hunger, hardship and child poverty rise'
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Helen Barnard, Director of Policy Research and Impact for Trussell, exclusively told GB News: "This policy is an extremely welcome step forward.
"It will ease the pressure on many struggling families and mean that fewer children face severe hardship.
"Food banks in the Trussell community have seen so many families unable to afford the essentials but shut out of this vital support – so we’re delighted the Government is taking action on this."
The director urged the Government to "build on this positive step" and expand its policy to support more legislation that they say will reduce poverty in the UK.
Barnard told the People's Channel: "That must include abolishing the two-child limit and reforming Universal Credit so that it covers the cost of essentials, otherwise they risk seeing hunger, hardship and child poverty rise on their watch."
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Nigel Farage challenged Starmer by pledging to scrap the two-child benefit cap and fully reinstate winter fuel payments for all pensioners
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When asked about lifting the two-child benefit cap, Starmer said a Government taskforce would develop a strategy to address "the root causes of child poverty".
Nigel Farage challenged Starmer by pledging to scrap the two-child benefit cap and fully reinstate Winter Fuel Payments for all pensioners.
The Prime Minister is facing internal resistance over the potential £5billion cost of similar policy changes.
While Starmer is open to ending the two-child cap, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly reluctant to make an immediate announcement until funding can be identified.
Bridget Phillipson spoke on the decision to expand free school meals with GB News
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Parents have only been able to claim child tax credit and Universal Credit for their first two children, if they were born after April 2017, since the Tories introduced the policy in 2017.
The Labour Party has long been divided over the issue, with Starmer ruling out scrapping the cap in 2023 when they were still in opposition.
Speaking on the decision to expand free school meals, Bridget Phillipson told GB News: "This will make a massive difference to children and to families that will affect half a million children.
"It will lift 100,000 children out of poverty, and it will put money directly back into parents' pockets.
She added: "We do want to work with schools to make this change happen... It will come into force at the start of the academic year in 2026."
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