Edinburgh, 16 December 2025 — The Scottish Government has confirmed it will not proceed with the planned Two-Child Limit Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026, following the UK Government’s decision to abolish the two-child limit on Universal Credit from April 2026.
In a letter dated 3 December 2025, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville stated that the regulations, originally scheduled for laying before Parliament on 26 November, will now be withdrawn. This decision reflects the UK Government’s announcement on 26 November that the two-child cap will be removed at source, making Scotland’s mitigation measures unnecessary.
“Given the UK Government is lifting the two-child limit at source in April 2026, I have considered our position regarding the Two Child Limit Payment (Scotland) Regulations and have decided that we will not lay these regulations,” wrote Somerville. “We are instead considering how we can utilise the funding released to support our mission to eradicate child poverty.”
The draft regulations, reviewed by the Scottish Commission on Social Security (SCoSS) earlier this year, aimed to provide a top-up payment to families affected by the two-child limit in Universal Credit. Payments were expected to begin in March 2026 and projected to lift 20,000 children out of relative poverty in 2026–27.
See the SCoSS update
Next Steps
With the UK-wide removal of the two-child limit, the Scottish Government will redirect resources to other anti-poverty initiatives. Details on how this funding will be reallocated are expected in early 2026.