ONE in nine children in Wales are affected by the two-child benefit cap, Plaid Cymru said today as it urged Labour to scrap the cruel policy.

The party’s work and pensions spokesperson Ann Davies MP said more than 65,000 youngsters were being affected in Wales, adding that it was “deeply disappointing that Labour is deciding to continue with this regressive Tory policy.”

She warned of its devastating impact on children as she called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to deliver on his promise for “change” by dropping the cap.

It comes as the latest figures showed a total of 1.6 million children are affected by the cap, which prevents parents from claiming child tax credit or Universal Credit for more than two children born after April 2017, across Britain. 

Ms Davies said that the King’s speech next week would be the Prime Minister’s “opportunity to show that change under Labour means more than just words.”

“Keir Starmer won the general election on a simple message of change. The most powerful change he could enact to lift millions of children out of poverty across the UK would be to end the cruel two-child benefit cap,” she said.

“Plaid Cymru aims to build a Wales where every child thrives, but with 65,000 children in Wales feeling the crushing weight of this regressive measure, it’s clear we have a long road ahead.”

The Labour Party was contacted for comment.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said he would press Sir Keir to scrap the policy if Labour won power, but the Welsh government declined to comment as it was not a devolved matter.

Barnardo’s chief executive Lynn Perry has called the limit “one of the biggest policy drivers of child poverty” and said it should be scrapped.