UKSC/2019/0135

R (on the application of SC, CB and 8 children) (Appellants) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and others (Respondents)

Judgment given

Case summary


Case ID

UKSC/2019/0135

Parties

Appellant(s)

SC

CB

8 children (Appellants)

Respondent(s)

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and others

Issue

The Supreme Court is asked to decide whether the 'two child limit', a provision of primary legislation which restricts payment of amounts of subsistence benefit for children to the first two children in a family, is incompatible with the Appellants' rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Facts

The Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 imposed a limit of two on the number of children in respect of whom child tax credit (and its replacement, universal credit) is payable.The limit applies, with a few exceptions, to all children born after 6 April 2017, when the new law came into force.The Appellants are members of families affected by this two child limit.SC lives with her three youngest children, for whom she is solely responsible. Her youngest child was born on 11 July 2017 (and therefore after the two child limit took effect).CB has five children, the youngest of whom was born on 19 April 2017 (just after the new legislation came into force).The High Court dismissed the Appellants' claims, and the Court of Appeal dismissed their appeal.The Appellants now appeal to the Supreme Court.

Date of issue

13 June 2019

Judgment appealed

Judgment details


Judgment date

9 July 2021

Neutral citation

[2021] UKSC 26

Judgment summary

9 July 2021

Appeal


Justices

Hearing dates

Full hearing

Start date

20 October 2020

End date

22 October 2020

Watch hearings


20 October 2020 - Morning session

20 October 2020 - Afternoon session

21 October 2020 - Morning session

21 October 2020 - Afternoon session

22 October 2020 - Morning session

Change log

Last updated 16 April 2024

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