AQW 9399/22-27
Mr Mark Durkan
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Foyle
Tabled Date: 21/03/2024
Answered On Date: 12/04/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities, pursuant to AQW 5806/22-27 (i) how many of those impacted are single parent households; and (ii) whether his Department has carried out any assessments to determine whether the two-child rule disproportionately affects women.
Answer:
In November 2023, 8,430 households receiving Universal Credit were impacted by the two-child policy, of which 5,660 were single parent households. The legislation on the two-child policy is contained in the Welfare Reform and Work (Northern Ireland) Order 2016. This Order ensured that the welfare reforms enabled by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 in Great Britain are delivered in Northern Ireland. The Order brought Northern Ireland social security into parity with the rest of the UK, as agreed in the Fresh Start Agreement in 2015. Prior to the introduction of the Great Britain Welfare Reform and Work Bill in the House of Commons, HM Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions completed an Impact Assessment of Tax Credits and Universal Credit, changes to Child Element and Family Element including the introduction of the two-child policy. It was acknowledged that on an individual basis women may be more likely to be affected than men as more women are lone parents. My Department has not carried any assessment to determine whether the two-child policy disproportionately affects women.
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