The Two Child Limit Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026: scrutiny report
The Scottish Commission on Social Security's scrutiny report on the draft Two Child Limit Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026
Contents
- Document Cover
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Approach – Use of top-up powers and take-up
- 3. Exceptions vs. Two Child Limit Payment
- 4. Backdating
- 5. Technical issues
- 6. Future policy development
- 7. Approach to scrutiny
- Recommendations and observations
- Annex A: The Scottish social security principles
- Annex B: Scrutiny timeline
6. Future policy development
We welcome the draft impact assessments sent alongside the regulations, as these can help us to understand the regulations, their policy intent and potential impact.
These highlight limitations in the data. Where there is limited evidence, it is difficult to compare policy proposals and determine the impacts choices may have on particular claimant groups.
Under Principle (g), the Scottish Government must consider continuous improvement, both in respect of those who require assistance and to advance equality and non-discrimination. As the policy and delivery of the Two Child Limit Payment progresses, further evidence, engagement and impact assessment will be needed. We suggest that it would be helpful for particular attention to be given to three issues:
- Develop evidence about the impacts of the Two Child Limit Payment on current and future clients, broken down by protected characteristics.
- The data should be deployed to assess how the payment helps to meet each of the three aims of the Public Sector Equality Duty.
- As the Two Child Limit Payment affects children the engagement of stakeholders should be expanded to include participation of children and young people as per Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.1Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) stipulates that children have the right to express their views and to participate in decisions that directly affect them