Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they applied the Family Test to the Universal Credit two child limit when the policy was introduced; and whether they intend to do so on the policy’s fifth anniversary.

When developing the policy to provide support to a maximum of two children, the Department considered its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty which included some impacts on families where members are protected under the Equality Act 2010.

Specific consideration was given to the impact on claimants with protected characteristics who would be affected by the introduction of the policy, including but not limited to, the gender and age of claimants in receipt of the child element of Universal Credit, ethnic minority households and households who are in receipt of disability related benefits.

The Family Test should be considered in the process of policy development. There are currently no plans to apply the test now.