Around 1,800 families in Ealing are set to receive more help with everyday costs after the two-child limit in Universal Credit was removed in April 2026.
The change means families receiving Universal Credit can now receive child-related support for every child in their household, rather than having payments usually calculated only for the first two children. In Ealing, council estimates suggest the change affects 1,806 households.
Across those households, around 6,620 children live in families where support had previously been limited. That does not mean each child was individually losing a payment, but it does mean family support was calculated under rules that did not fully reflect the number of children being raised in the home.
Around 6,620 children in affected Ealing households
The removal of the two-child limit is expected to matter most for larger families already managing food, rent, energy bills, clothing and childcare costs.
Until April, Universal Credit child support usually stopped after two children. Families with a third or subsequent child could still face the same day-to-day costs, but the benefit calculation did not usually include those additional children.
The rule was not linked to whether parents were working, whether housing costs had risen, or whether family circumstances had changed. For households already close to their monthly budget limit, the difference could affect money available for basics.
Councillor Blerina Hashani, cabinet member for a fairer start, said ending the limit would “make a real difference to families across the borough” and said support would better reflect “the real cost of raising a family”.
Universal Credit payments should update automatically
For most families, the increase should be applied automatically through Universal Credit, provided claim details are up to date.
Families should still check that the children in their household are correctly listed on their Universal Credit account. Any change in family circumstances, childcare arrangements or household status can affect entitlement, so outdated details may delay the right level of support.
The change applies to families receiving Universal Credit and does not require a separate council application for the child element itself. The UK Government change removes the previous cap in the Universal Credit calculation from April 2026.
Childcare support rises for working parents
Working parents who receive Universal Credit can also claim help with registered childcare costs. Since April, the maximum monthly childcare support has increased.
Parents can now claim up to £1,071 a month for one child, £1,836 a month for two children, and an additional £736 a month for each further child.
This support is paid through Universal Credit and is designed to help parents stay in work, increase hours, or manage childcare costs while employment income changes. It applies to registered childcare, so families need to keep records and make sure costs are reported correctly.
Free school meals expansion from September
A separate change from September 2026 will extend free school meals to all children living in households that receive Universal Credit.
At the moment, 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 be eligible.
In Ealing, around 32,500 children are estimated to live in households receiving Universal Credit. Families who have not applied before, or who were previously outside the rules, will need to apply through Ealing Council to register their child ahead of the new academic year.
Registration matters even where a child does not take a school meal every day. It can also help schools access additional funding linked to eligible pupils, including children already receiving free meals under universal primary school arrangements.
What Ealing families may need to check next
Families affected by the Universal Credit change should check that their online claim lists every child in the household and that childcare costs are current where they are being claimed.
Parents preparing for September should also look out for the free school meals registration process through Ealing Council, especially if they have not qualified before because of income rules.
The council’s figures point to a broad local impact: 1,806 affected households, thousands of children in those homes, higher childcare support for working parents, and a wider free school meals entitlement from the start of the next school year.
Source: Ealing Council
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This article is based on Ealing Council’s published update and separates confirmed local estimates from future application steps.
- Confirmed the stated estimate of 1,806 affected Ealing households.
- Checked the article explains that 6,620 children are in affected households, not that ever...
- Included the April 2026 Universal Credit change and September 2026 free school meals expan...
- Kept next steps limited to updating Universal Credit details and applying through Ealing C...
- Source
- Around Ealing
- Scope
- Ealing
- Updated
- 2026-05-25 08:58
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