Good morning. Welcome back to Survival Guide. 

This week marks eight years since “one of the cruellest welfare policies of the last decade” was implemented: the two-child limit on benefits. It denies low-income families any extra universal credit or tax credits for their third child and subsequent children, equating to a loss of more than £3,500 a year for hundreds of thousands of families. More than 1.6 million children are impacted by the measure.

Labour MPs have fought against the two-child limit for years (even Keir Starmer promised to scrap it when he was campaigning to become party leader), but now they’re in government, ministers are refusing to commit to scrapping the policy. This is despite evidence showing that at least 350,000 kids would be lifted out of poverty – and it’s proven to be the most cost-effective way to stop rising child poverty rates.

New research shows that axing the cap could raise up to £19bn for local economies which could be reinvested into helping the community.

But even though the government has made a commitment to tackling child poverty, even setting up a special taskforce for this very purpose, it’s not mentioned plans to axe the two-child limit on benefits. Labour has of course also announced benefit cuts which are expected to push 50,000 children into poverty… 

We’re expecting the government to announce its child poverty strategy in June, and in the run-up to that, charities and campaigners are going to be fighting hard to get the government to scrap the cap. In this week’s newsletter, we meet Rosie, a single mother impacted by the two-child limit who has written an open letter to the government demanding that the policy is dropped. 

Also, as it’s the Easter school holidays, we have a reminder of where your kids can eat for free.

If you’ve got a story to share, we want to listen. Get in touch at isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com or share your story here.

Rosie’s story: ‘I'm buying fruit and veg for my kids on buy now, pay later’

Rosie is a single mum of three children and is impacted by the two-child limit. Her third child was one of the first children to be impacted by this policy – born in May 2017. This policy has driven my family into deep poverty by eliminating £3,514 from my annual income.

She found herself relying on credit cards and ‘buy now, pay later’ for essential items like bills and fresh food, fruit and vegetables to feed three growing children. Her children have missed out on extracurricular activities.

“I am often juggling my money between essential bills and treats like days out. I do not drive or buy expensive clothing, and my children have never been abroad. I’m very good at budgeting my money but it is simply not enough,” Rosie writes.

Rosie is the founder of Rosie’s Corner – a service that provides pre-owned baby and children’s clothing, shoes and equipment to families in need in West Northumberland. She set it up to help alleviate the pressures for families living in poverty because she could see the impact that the two-child benefit cap was having on local families.

Rosie has written an open letter to the chancellor, signed by leading organisations including the Big Issue, calling for an end to the two-child limit on benefits.

“The government has rightly committed to tackling child poverty – and we look forward to the publication of the child poverty strategy,” Rosie writes. “But, for families like mine, those supported by Rosie’s Corner, and all the families impacted, this must include funding to scrap the two-child limit. We cannot wait any longer.”

Read Rosie’s letter here.

In case you missed it

One in four renters struggle to get full deposit back from landlord: 'We're getting a raw deal'. Rent campaigners call for deposits to be ‘passported’ between tenancies in a bid to stop tenants borrowing cash from friends and family. Get the story.

Will Trump send us into a global recession? Potentially, say experts – but austerity is not the answer. The president is shaking up the global economy, and that’s going to have an impact on the UK. Read more.

'We want people to feel welcome': Inside the UK's only homeless shelter for trans people. The Trans Winter Night Shelter provides a vital service to some of the most vulnerable people in the UK, including Transgender people seeking asylum. Get the story.

Labour is 'missing a trick' by not taxing housing wealth, expert says. Housing has become the ‘engine of wealth inequality’, with the richest 10% median wealth-holding at £1.2m in Britain today compared to £16,500 among the least well-off 10%. Read more.

Like what you're reading? Let people know by going to our sign-up article and sharing it on your social networks!

Where kids can eat for free this Easter holiday

School breaks can be expensive, with free school meals not always offered and childcare extortionate, so ‘kids eat free’ deals might be useful if you’re looking to save cash while still treating your kids to a meal out.

As usual, we’ve rounded up all the deals we could find where kids can eat for free or £1.

It’s worth pointing out that you often have to buy a full adult’s meal alongside, which won’t always work out the cheapest, so it’s a good idea to check the terms and conditions before you dine out because some of these offers are better than others.

At Asda, for example, you don’t have to buy an adult’s meal alongside it. And at Ikea, kids’ meals are as low as 95p, and you can also get a free hour of childcare!

Get all the deals here.