A story that says it all

It is far too early to tell if it is discouraging anyone from having additional children.
The policy itself is nasty and deliberately targeting women on low incomes. Another example of Tory brutality I'm afraid. Meanwhile many of those at the other end of the wealth spectrum salt away their millions in tax havens to avoid taxes.

It's because there are so few in that situation that they can get away with it.

There can't be so many people in this situation that it will save much for the government.
If they have looked at the case, and refused to do anything, they must just not care.

I doubt the Tories care, Trisher. This is just another way of saving money/cutting benefits.

This is horrendous. Presumably even the Tories wouldn't want to punish someone who has cared for their own family. I will write to my MP if that will help. I wonder what happens if someone wants to foster or adopt children and they already have children of their own, or go on to have children after adopting would they still apply the rule?

Like all of the above I am appalled by this story. This family needs and deserves help.
Apart from signing a petition is there any way of helping her? A petition is great but won't be of much practical help now.

The OP title does indeed say it all...

We have had a few brushes with institutional rigidity lately for our son. Some rules are so inflexible, you would think that when they are firsr formulated they should come with necessary caviats and leeway for recognised exceptions built in. SIGHS LOUDLY ...

The local MP is involved. Thanks for link dj will get in touch with them re a petition - a petition started by them would have more clout. But why should a petition be necessary? It's really quite unbelievable isn't it?

That is a disgusting state of affairs. Clearly she is not a parent of the three siblings.
There should be no need for an "exemption". She is entitled to that money.

www.carersuk.org/forum/news-and-campaigns/latest-caring-news/kinship-carers-the-two-child-trap-and-guidance-31009

And she has probably saved the nation a fortune by looking after her siblings and not letting them go into care. Disgraceful. Would volunteer to write to my M.p. but he is a complete waste of space. Suggest a petition on 38 degrees or Change.

How about someone getting up a petition? There are sites where you can set them up. Would a link to it be allowed here?

Local MP?

The young lady has appealed twice and failed both times. She is still looking after her siblings and now has a three month old baby to care for. I wonder what she's supposed to do next if the Guardian's support doesn't succeed? She's hard up now and I don't think it's her fight - it should be ours for her. Anyone else willing to write to the DWP/ their MP/ TM?

descendants

The story certainly suggests that the wheels of government turn exceeding slow. The young lady should not give up. Compensation due to my grandfather for contracting emphysema at work (mining) was not paid until forty years after he died and only then because my accountant brother jumped through every hoop they put in the way. By this time it had not benefited my grandfather, nor his widow (also deceased by then), nor my father, the only child of my grandfather (also deceased), so it went to my siblings and me as the next direct descendents.

I hope you get a response to your letter, me54. Perhaps you could keep us inflormed on here. Perhaps a bit of Gransnet clout might come in handy at some stage?

Here here, maryliza54

Situations like this once again show how you simply cannot bunch everyone under the same umbrella without accepting that there are times when commonsense must prevail.

Ah, but Mrs May is making this a fairer country - I am sure that will help.

What I think is unacceptable here is that the Government were told of the problem nearly a year ago and have done nothing about it.

There really needs to be some common sense and flexibility when these policies are introduced to cater for the unusual and special cases which do not fit into any box ticking. Surely it would make sense to have a senior person in each area or DWP/benefit office who has the authority to use common sense and amend the requirements and guidelines when a case such as this occurs? Cases like the couple given a specially adapted bungalow to enable them to care for their severely physically disabled grandson who were then charged bedroom tax for the 'spare' bedroom which was needed for grandson's carer ?

Are their any statistics for:
" those women who sat back and had lots of children while never intending to work again, " before the two child policy
And
" those women who sat back and had lots of children while never intending to work again, " after the two child policy was introduced?
as you say it is apparently having some effect on them?

Yes, it needs changing.

I'm going to write to the DWP Secretary of State for all the good it will do

The Government were told a year ago, this family is going without now. One of the responsibilities of government before it enacts policy is to inform itself of all the consequences of that policy. With the three child rule for example, it exempted third children who resulted from a multiple birth second pregnancy. The government carries out consultations as part of this process. It ignored the warnings and is showing no signs of shifting. I think that's totally unacceptable

This is a grossly unjust situation - I hope a journalist will bring it up at the Tory party conference. This two-child cap was always going to bring up anomalies e.g. someone having a first child with a partner who already has two.