More than 80% of families struggled to pay utility bills last year despite government intervention, a survey has shown. About 3,000 families responded to the Child Poverty in Action Group’s (CPAG) rolling survey on the impact of the UK Government’s two-child limit on social security benefits, such as universal credit and tax credits, since 2019.
The charity has marked the sixth anniversary of the policy with research showing the controversial policy has resulted in widespread “suffering and hardship” among families affected across the UK struggling to meet children’s basic needs as living costs soar. Research showed a sharp rise in the number of families reporting that the policy has affected their ability to pay for utility bills from 73% in 2021/22 to 82% in 2022/23.
There has also been a sharp rise in the number of families in work affected with 78% of families saying the policy impacted their ability to pay for food in 2021/22 to 87% in 2022/23. About 90% of households who are out of work say they struggle to afford food.
