Change of https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-families-with-more-than-2-children-information-for-stakeholders

Change description : 2025-10-13 13:01:00: Textphone details removed; Relay UK details added. [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : 2025-05-14 11:52:50.104012266 +00:00..2025-10-13 12:03:29.334852454 +00:00

Guidance

Universal Credit and families with more than 2 children: information for stakeholders

This guidance will help you in your conversations with claimants who may be affected by the Universal Credit 2 child policy.

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published
6 April 2017
Last updated
1413 MayOctober 2025 — See all updates

Documents

Universal Credit and families with more than 2 children: information for stakeholders

HTML

Details

Universal Credit claimants will no longer be able to claim payment for a third child or any subsequent children who are born on or after 6 April 2017. Some exceptions will apply according to an individual’s circumstances.

This stakeholder guidance covers the following topics:

  • policy background
  • advice for existing and new claimants
  • exceptions
  • required evidence for exceptions
  • additional information, including the definition of a qualifying young person

Updates to this page

Published 6 April 2017
Last updated 1413 MayOctober 2025 + show all updates

  2. Removed out of date PDFs. Updated the accessible html versions: removed the survey links, updated the extra amount you could receive for a child born before 6 April 2017 to £339.

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Update history

2026-04-06 00:01
The 2-child limit ended on 6 April 2026. Universal Credit now pays the extra amount for every child, no matter how many children claimants have. This guidance explains the rules and exceptions that apply if claimants had more than 2 children before April 2026.

2025-12-11 11:58
The Universal Credit extra amount for children ‘2-child limit’ will end from April 2026. It remains in place until then.

2025-10-13 13:01
Textphone details removed; Relay UK details added.

2025-05-14 12:52
Removed out of date PDFs. Updated the accessible html versions: removed the survey links, updated the extra amount you could receive for a child born before 6 April 2017 to £339.