Early Moments Matter
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Why are we campaigning?
Nearly 90% of parents with under fives are worried about their child’s future life chances.
A child’s first months and years shape their whole life. But in the UK, we are leaving too many babies and young children behind – stopping them from reaching their potential.
Financial support for families
The cost-of-living crisis has pushed more families into financial hardship. One in three children under five live in poverty, with lasting consequences for their health and development. Our supporters joined campaigners and organisations nationwide in calling for the end of the two-child limit on benefits – which the Government has now scrapped. This is a major, necessary decision to tackle record levels of child poverty in the UK. It will lift at 350,000 children out of poverty when it comes into effect in April 2026.
Essential services in childhood
Essential early childhood services are crucial for a child’s health and development. Yet right now these public services – from midwifery and maternal mental health support to health visitors and children’s centres – aren’t reaching everyone they should. Families on low incomes, particularly, often miss out on support they’re entitled to.
Childcare crisis
Affordable local childcare isn’t available for every child. It’s one of the biggest challenges facing families with young children, according to 60% of parents. This shortage means parents can’t increase their income through work, and children miss out on chances to play and learn with peers. It especially affects families on low incomes, who have fewer nurseries nearby and may not be eligible for Government-funded free hours.
*Data collected May/June 2024 via YouGov panel, nationally representative sample of 2892 parents of children age four and under in GB (with 534 respondents from Scotland). Download full results here.
What are we calling for?
In June, we handed in our petition with 105,781 signatures, calling for the UK Government to invest in early childhood. Restoring investment in early years health and education services and financial support for families will help ensure all children get the best start in life.
In November, the UK Government announced an end to the harmful two-child limit policy, after 6,500 UNICEF UK campaigners wrote to their MPs. Join us in sending a message to the Government in support of this crucial decision.
What the end of the two-child limit on benefits means
The policy has affected children born after April 2017, who have two or more older siblings, in families supported by social security. Each affected child loses out on £3,514 a year in financial support through Universal Credit. These children will now be entitled to the full level of support, when the scrap comes into effect on April 2026.
It affects low-income families with three or more children, who are often left unable to make ends meet. Families can be eligible for Universal Credit for many reasons – such as low wages, a parent having a disability, or a parent being unable to work while caring for a young child. In most affected families, one or both parents are working.
However, some families affected by the separate Benefit Cap policy will not see any increase in their financial security, as their overall household income will still be ‘capped’ (at £22,020 for most families, or £25,323 for families in London).
By limiting family incomes, this controversial policy has been a major cause of rising child poverty in the UK – pulling 109 children into poverty every day. Lifting the policy will make a real difference for 1.6 million children previously affected, improving incomes and helping families meet their children’s needs.
