Cuts to Universal Credit payments ‘will push 200,000 kids into poverty,’ study warns

LIMITING Universal Credit payments to the first two children in a family will push 200,000 kids into poverty, a study claims.

Child Poverty Action Group said it was damaging to kids’ life chances.

Almost a million families are expected to be hit by the changes to the Universal Credit system which comes into force on Thursday.

Working families with three children are set to lose out the most from the cap – up to £2,870 a year.

Larger non-working families already receive a cap to their benefits.

The move – introduced when George Osborne was Chancellor – is expected to save the taxman £1billion a year by 2021.

The change comes alongside a wave of other cuts starting this week including changes to bereavement support.

Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group said: “This cut suggests some children matter more than others.

“No parent has a crystal ball. Families that can comfortably support a third child today could struggle tomorrow.

“Children shouldn’t suffer on the basis of how many siblings they have.”