Campaigning SNP MP Alison Thewliss has demanded the cruel two-child limit and rape clause be scrapped following new figures showing 359,000 households were missing out on vital income due to the policy.
The UK government’s own statistics show that 58%, or 216,000, of claimants affected by the policy are classified as ‘in work’ – while, shockingly, 1,830 women have had to relive the trauma of rape or coercive control to make a claim under the rape clause.
The Glasgow Central MP has campaigned to have the two-child limit – which restricts entitlement to benefits to the first two children per family – scrapped since it was first announced in 2015.
Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:
“These figures show that the majority of affected households have at least one adult in work – shattering the Tories dubious claim that ‘work pays’ and that this policy is about fairness.
“Not only is the two-child limit and associated rape clause deeply cruel and damaging, it has been proven to be failing.
“Any government with an ounce of common sense or compassion would have already scrapped it.
“As well as seeing families out of pocket, it also deliberately puts women through mental and emotional anguish in forcing them to disclose horrific details under the rape clause, and has been found to have an impact on women’s decisions to terminate pregnancies.
“The Covid-19 pandemic shows that no one can comprehensively prepare for any eventuality.
“The social security safety net should be there to support people, not punish them.
“At a time when the Scottish Government is putting money into people’s pockets with progressive policies like the Scottish Child Payment, the Tories are taking it away again with callous policies like the two-child cap.
“There can be no doubt that the only way to protect families in Scotland is with independence.”
