MORE than 70,000 families have been hit by the two-child limit on child benefits in the first year of the policy, official stats showed yesterday.

Since April 6 2017, only a family’s first two children have been eligible for benefits of up to £2,780 per child per year. Before then all children in low-income families could attract the payment to help keep them out of poverty.

Families with a third or subsequent child born after that date will no longer be able to claim a child element for that child or any future children.