The education secretary has given the strongest signal yet that the government will scrap the two-child benefit cap, saying that lifting it is “certainly something we are considering”.
It comes ahead of a major speech from Nigel Farage on Tuesday, where he will commit to scrapping the benefit cap and reinstating the winter fuel payment in full in an attempt to position his party as the true opposition to Labour.
The Reform UK leader is also expected to accuse the government of lacking the will to bring net migration down to zero, and claim Sir Keir’s deal with the EU “betrays the very essence of Brexit”.
But hitting back at Reform’s plans, Bridget Phillipson dubbed the party “just not serious”, claiming Mr Farage would “dismantle the NHS as we know it” and “massively undermine our ability to deliver free breakfast clubs” by reinstating tax breaks for private schools.
Asked whether she thinks the government should lift the two-child benefit cap, Ms Phillipson said: “It’s not off the table. It's certainly something that we're considering. We've always been clear that social security measures are an important part of what the child poverty task force is looking at.”
She told Sky News that tackling child poverty is “personal” to her, insisting it is the “moral purpose” of this government.
“It's personal to me, because for part of my childhood, I experienced what too many children right now in our country are experiencing, and I know the damage it does”, she said.
“I know the scar it has, not just for those individual children and families, but, actually, for all of us.
“We're all poorer as a country when we aren't able to benefit from the amazing talent of so many children and families. That's why we're serious about tackling child poverty.”
Sir Keir Starmer is privately said to be in favour of doing away with the two-child benefit cap – a policy that restricts parents from claiming certain benefits for more than two of their children.
Critics of the policy say removing it would be the most effective way of reducing child poverty amid warnings that as many as 100 children are pulled into poverty every day by the limit.
However, it is thought the cap won’t be lifted until the government publishes its child poverty strategy, which has now been delayed until the autumn.
There is growing pressure on Labour to scrap it, as well as to water down its upcoming welfare cuts, as fresh polling showed that almost half of all red wall voters disapprove of the way the government has acted on benefits.
A new poll conducted by Merlin Strategy across 42 red wall seats - those historically held by Labour - 48 per cent of people had a negative view of the government’s handling of benefits policies, while just 25 per cent approved.
Of those who said they voted Labour at the 2024 election, people were divided – with 38 per cent approving and 38 per cent disapproving.
Meanwhile, within his own party, the prime minister is facing a rebellion from MPs over controversial welfare cuts, which will see personal independence payments (PIP) cut for 800,000 people with disabilities, and a growing unease over the direction of the party.
Last week, in an attempt to win back disillusioned voters and appease his MPs, the prime minister announced plans to row back on last year’s controversial decision to means test the winter fuel payment, telling the Commons he would look at increasing the thresholds at which people start to receive the benefit.
Today’s speech, framed as Mr Farage’s “pitch to working people” will see the Reform leader flanked by council leaders, mayors and Runcorn MP Sarah Pochin.
A party source said Mr Farage will challenge Sir Keir “to go to a working man’s club in the north of England with him and see who connects better with working people”.
But asked about his proposals, the education secretary hit back: "It's just not serious.They're just not serious people. It's not credible.
“This is a party, after all, that doesn't believe in the NHS, that would dismantle the NHS as we know it, that has consistently opposed the measures that Labour has brought in to back workers through the Employment Rights bill, making sure, for example, that more workers can have access to sick pay.
“Those are the kinds of decisions that are that reform are interested in making.
“The one policy that they have in education is to reintroduce tax breaks to private schools, which would massively undermine our ability to deliver free breakfast clubs - the kinds of measures that working families are benefiting from right now.
“That's Reform. That's who they are. They're not on the side of working people. They're not serious about how they deliver change. And every time they get the opportunity to back working people, for example, with better rights at work, they oppose it."
Mr Farage has previously called for an end to the NHS being funded through taxes, but has been unable to say how it would be paid for instead.
While he has insisted that he wants the health service to remain “free at the point of delivery”, he added that Reform is looking into “how we get there”.
