Keir Starmer vowed to ‘always be on the side’ of the British people

Sir Kier Starmer (Image: Pete Stonier / Stoke Sentinel)

The Prime Minister trumpeted a raft of changes to ease the cost-of-living crisis which will come into force from Monday – including the scrapping the two-child benefit cap.

As war rages in the Middle East and energy prices surge, Sir Keir Starmer vowed to ‘always be on the side’ of the British people as he pointed to a series of policy decisions coming into law from April 6, including the lifting of the two-child benefits cap.

The two-child limit was introduced by former Conservative chancellor George Osborne in 2017 who said there would be ‘no more open chequebook’ for out-of-work families. Removing the cap across the UK will cost £2.3bn in 2026-27 and £3bn in 2029-30, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

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The measures coming into effect from April 6 include:

Scrapping the two child benefit cap ‘which will lift 450,000 children out of poverty’.The ‘biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation’ through the Employment Rights Act – delivering day one paternity and parental leave as well as major reforms to Statutory Sick Pay, ensuring workers can take time off when sick without worrying about going without pay.Increasing the basic and new State Pensions by 4.8% for more than 12 million people.Uprating benefits such as PIP and Housing Benefit, and increasing most working-age benefits by 3.8%, ‘helping millions of low-income families and sick and disabled people’.

The Prime Minister said: “No matter the global uncertainty, my government will always be on the side of the British people in bearing down on the cost of living. I will never lose sight of how restless people are for change, and I am proud that today we are lifting nearly half a million children out of poverty, boosting support for pensioners, and delivering the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.

“I know families across the country are concerned about the conflict in Iran and what it means for the cost of living. We are working closely with international partners to push for a de-escalation in the Middle East and the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. This is the most effective way to ease the pressure on the cost of living.

“I am clear that our response to the current global situation will define us for a generation, which is why we are taking the right long-term decisions now to ensure we emerge from this as a stronger, more secure nation.”

Taken together, this action leaves the UK better placed to weather current economic challenges, while working with global partners to secure de‑escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to relieve pressure on prices globally, according to the Labour party.