Ealing families to receive more Universal Credit support

Around 1,800 families in Ealing are set to receive more help with food, bills, rent and other everyday costs after the UK Government ended the two-child limit in Universal Credit.

The change means Universal Credit can now include support for every child in a household, rather than usually stopping after the first two children. Ealing Council estimates that 1,806 households in the borough are affected, with around 6,620 children living in families where support had previously been limited.

For most families already receiving Universal Credit, higher payments should be applied automatically if their claim details are up to date. Parents may still need to check that household information, children’s details and childcare costs are correctly recorded on their Universal Credit account.

More support for larger families in Ealing

The two-child limit had restricted the child element of Universal Credit for many families with three or more children. It did not mean every child in those homes had no support at all, but it meant the benefit calculation usually counted only the first two children.

That mattered for families whose costs had continued to rise across food, clothing, energy, rent and school-related expenses. The rule was not linked to a family’s income level in the way some other benefit calculations are, so working parents could still be affected.

From April, the limit has been removed. Families receiving Universal Credit can now receive child-related support for every child in the household, provided their claim details are accurate.

Councillor Blerina Hashani, cabinet member for a fairer start, said ending the limit would make “a real difference” to families across the borough and help support reflect the real cost of raising children.

Childcare help rises for working parents

The changes also increase the amount some working parents can claim back for registered childcare through Universal Credit.

Parents can now claim up to £1,071 a month for one child, £1,836 a month for two children, and an extra £736 a month for each additional child. The support is paid through Universal Credit and is intended to help parents work, increase hours or manage childcare costs while staying in employment.

For households already under pressure, this part of the change may be particularly relevant during school terms and holiday periods, when childcare bills can affect whether work is financially viable. Families should keep childcare invoices and provider details up to date in their Universal Credit account so the correct amount can be assessed.

Readers checking wider payment timing issues may also find this guide to bank holiday benefit payments useful when a Universal Credit date falls around a public holiday.

Free school meals expansion from September

From September, all children living in households that receive Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals.

At present, some working families do not qualify because of an income threshold. That limit is due to be removed, meaning every child in a Universal Credit household will become eligible.

In Ealing, around 32,500 children are estimated to live in households that receive Universal Credit. Families who have not previously applied will need to register through Ealing Council before the new academic year if they want their child’s eligibility recorded.

Registering can matter even if a child does not eat a school meal every day. It can also help schools access additional funding linked to eligible pupils, including where younger children already receive meals under universal primary school arrangements.

Claim details families should check

Families do not usually need to make a fresh Universal Credit claim to benefit from the end of the two-child limit. The increase should be reflected automatically for most existing claimants.

The key step is making sure the claim record is accurate. Parents should check that every child in the household is listed, that any changes in family circumstances have been reported, and that childcare costs are submitted with the correct evidence where relevant.

Families seeking free school meals under the expanded September rules should apply through Ealing Council’s online process once they are ready to register for the new school year.

Source: Ealing Council

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This article was written from Ealing Council’s published update and checked for figures, dates and eligibility details stated in that source.

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• Checked the reported estimate of 1,806 affected households in Ealing.
• Checked the figure of around 6,620 children living in households previously limited by the...
• Checked the new childcare support amounts listed for Universal Credit claimants.
• Checked the September free school meals expansion described for Universal Credit household...

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Ealing Council

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Ealing

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2026-05-25 08:53

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Blerina Hashani

#Childcare Support#Ealing Council#Ealing Universal Credit#family benefits#Free School Meals#two-child limit#working parents

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