Commenting on a report by the North East Child Poverty Commission, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: "We know there’s a link between children living in hardship and the two-child benefit cap. This new analysis makes clear that national action is needed sooner rather than later.
“If Ministers are serious about tackling poverty they need to lift the two-child benefit cap they inherited from the last government. This would be transformational for thousands of families in our region and beyond.
“Poverty ruins lives, prevents young people fulfilling their potential and damages our economy. In the North East we have already set up the first Child Poverty Reduction Unit in the country so we can support the most vulnerable families in our region.
“Through this unit we are breaking down barriers to opportunity by offering local, tailored support to help people overcome poor health to find and stay in work and taking action to tackle the high cost of childcare through the Mayor’s Childcare Grant as well as a whole raft of other measures designed to alleviate poverty and improve lives.”