Sheffield councillors unite to call for an end to two-child benefit cap to help tackle poverty
The work of a Sheffield commission on how to tackle poverty has been welcomed by city councillors who also called for the government to lift the two-child benefit cap.
The Sheffield Poverty Truth Commission was discussed at the latest monthly full meeting of Sheffield City Council (October 1). The organisation began work in September 2024 and Sheffielders with direct experience of poverty served as community commissioners.
They worked alongside civic commissioners, who represented organisations including the city council, South Yorkshire Police and the city’s health, education and business sectors.
The commission, which focused on three areas of early years and children, mental health and the system, will present its findings on October 16, councillors heard.
A motion about the commission was proposed by Labour councillors Fran Belbin and Nabeela Mowlana. It stated that one in four people in Sheffield live in poverty, which is above the national average and includes 24 per cent of children.
Both the motion and amendments from other parties called for the government to lift the two-child cap on benefits. The government is set to announce a child poverty strategy this autumn, in time for the next Budget.
Solutions
Coun Belbin, who was a civic commissioner, said that community commissioners are “at the absolute heart” of the process.
“They’re the people whose direct experience of poverty informs everything we’ve worked on – deciding what themes to focus on, guiding our thinking on whether the various solutions and approaches we considered will really make any difference to people impacted by poverty.”
Coun Belbin said: “We don’t have all the levers at our disposal – the motion also draws attention to some of the elements that need to be part of a national poverty strategy – but there are things we can do locally to improve and empower.”
She said that the commission heard that too often systems and processes add to people’s problems rather than supporting them. “When people receive letters they can’t make sense of; when they arrive at an appointment, having walked into town because they can’t afford the bus fare, only to be told they need to go to another one somewhere else on a different day.
“When they have to repeat their story over and over to different services, retraumatising themselves in the process – none of this helps them to deal with the challenges they are facing or helps them to escape the trap of poverty.”
She said that services and staff training must be co-designed with people using them in order to become more impactful.
Affluent
Coun Mowlana said that there is a 10-year life expectancy gap between people living in her ward of Park and Arbourthorne and more affluent areas of the city. She said “we cannot be a city of two halves”, adding that is why the work of the commission matters so deeply.
“But local action alone cannot be enough,” said Coun Mowlana, “we must also be honest about national policies that drive poverty in our city – chief among them is the two-child benefit cap.
“This policy penalises children for simply being a third born and it is one of the biggest drivers of child poverty in the UK today. Removing it would lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty overnight.”
A LibDem amendment was proposed by Couns Robert Reiss and Sophie Crossthorn. It said that “poverty exists in all parts of the city, including in more prosperous areas, and risks going unaddressed by purely ward-based interventions”.
The amendment also criticised the government for not lifting the two-child benefit cap “despite repeated calls from charities and politicians” and said that the government’s Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill will push more disabled people into poverty.
Coun Reiss said that a real-terms cut to adult skills funding announced by the education secretary will also affect people.
Billionaires
He said that poverty is also hidden behind the frontages of some Edwardian houses in beautiful tree-lined city streets, as well as in deprived areas.
Coun Reiss said that the report might be hard reading, adding “it is deeply important that we take it to heart”. He accused Labour of being the party of “do as we say, not what we do”.
A Green amendment was put forward by Coun Maroof Raouf, seconded by Coun Paul Turpin. It argued that the incomes of millionaires and billionaires are largely unaffected by the government.
It added: “This country needs a fair, just and progressive taxation system where those with the broadest shoulders take the greatest burden.”
The amendment voiced concern about pensioners’ winter fuel payments, the two-child benefit cap and benefits for people with disabilities.
Coun Raouf said: “Poverty in parts of Sheffield is like a slow-burning house fire – filling rooms with smoke, choking opportunity and leaving desperate families gasping for air whilst the Labour Party walks past, shutting every window as they go along.
“Hundreds in Nether Edge and Sharrow live in hardship – these aren’t numbers, they’re my neighbours, they’re my classmates and they’re my colleagues.” He said they are wonderful people failed by a system that should have protected them and said austerity was a choice of ‘red and blue governments’.
Coun Raouf added: “Let’s be absolutely clear – the two-child benefit cap is a cruel, punitive policy that punishes children for the circumstances of their birth.
“Labour’s refusal to scrap it is indefensible.” He said it must be ended immediately.