Two-Child Limit Removed from April 2026: Child Benefit Support Increases

From 1 April 2026, the UK removed a decade-old restriction that prevented families from claiming Universal Credit for any third or subsequent child born after April 2017. This change is expected to lift 450,000 children out of poverty by the end of Parliament.

Key Changes

• Two-child limit ended: Families now receive full Universal Credit for all children, not just the first two
• Child Benefit boost: Rates increased 3.8% from April 2026—£27.05 per week for the eldest or only child, £17.90 for each additional child
• Childcare support: Working families with three or more children can now claim an extra £736.06 in Universal Credit childcare costs per additional child above the cap for two
• Automatic updates: Existing claimants should receive updated payments automatically

The Child Element of Universal Credit is worth £292.81 per child per month (£3,514 per year), meaning families previously missing out on this for third and subsequent children now receive full support. Families already on Universal Credit should see payments update by May 2026.

For expat parents: This is a major change if you're planning to have or already have three or more children. Ensure your Universal Credit account is fully updated with your family size. Even if you have not claimed before, you may now qualify. Contact the Child Benefit helpline to verify eligibility, as the government estimates 70,000 families will still be affected by the benefit cap ceiling.

Sources

• Save the Children UK — Two-child limit scrapped: what it means for UK families in 2026
• GOV.UK — 5 things we are doing to tackle child poverty