Cliff Edge Coalition NI: Written Evidence to the Committee for Communities
For some years, the Cliff Edge Coalition has had three key strengthening asks which we believe are urgently needed to strengthen the benefit system in Northern Ireland (NI), including the removal of the two-child limit. The Cliff Edge Coalition is therefore pleased to see the commitment and cross-party support which our local elected representatives have shown in removing the two-child limit, both in the NI Assembly and in the UK Parliament, and we gratefully welcome consideration of the equivalent legislation via the LCM.
While we unequivocally support the removal of this harmful policy, we also believe it is equally important to highlight several matters that require careful attention to ensure the change is implemented effectively.
Our evidence sets out the wider context in which this decision must be taken, including rising poverty levels, the ongoing managed migration to Universal Credit, and the significant pressures facing advice and support services. It also highlights key issues requiring careful consideration, including the Benefit Cap, transitional protection, and the need for clear, accessible Universal Credit communications.
Crucially, the submission reflects the lived experience of service users, including families forced to make impossible choices between essentials such as food and heating.
“The Cliff Edge Coalition were pleased to provide evidence to the Committee for Communities today. We welcomed the steps taken to remove the two-child limit policy and also provided considerations on the practicalities of removing the two-child limit. The Coalition have long campaigned for this positive intervention in the bid to eradicate poverty. Today we have called upon the NI Assembly and Department for Communities to consider our recommendations as this change must be rolled out in a sustainable, efficient and successful manner. Today we also took the opportunity to restate our other cliff edge asks and ask for continued protection for the Discretionary Support Fund and Mitigation Schemes.”
Holly Knox, Policy and Community Engagement Officer at Law Centre NI