Oral Answers to Questions

Sean Woodcock Excerpts

Wednesday 11th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sean Woodcock (Banbury) (Lab)]

4. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the autumn Budget 2025 on Northern Ireland.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn)]

The autumn Budget provided Northern Ireland with an additional £370 million, on top of the record spending review settlement, and will assist families with the cost of living by cutting energy bills, lifting the two-child benefit limit and raising the minimum wage.

[Sean Woodcock]

The Government’s child poverty strategy aims to lift over 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030. What assessment has the Secretary of State made of the impact of the abolition of the two-child benefit cap for families in Northern Ireland?

[Hilary Benn]

The lifting of the two-child benefit cap in Northern Ireland will help more than 17,000 children and more than 48,000 people in Northern Ireland households. We are also increasing the national minimum wage, which will benefit 170,000 people, and increasing the state pension will benefit 330,000 pensioners in Northern Ireland.