Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill: HL Bill 171 of 2024–26

The Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill is a government bill that would remove the current two-child limit in universal credit across the UK from 6 April 2026. The government announced its intention to remove the limit at the November 2025 budget. The House of Commons has passed the bill. The House of Lords is scheduled to consider the bill at second reading and all remaining stages on 12 March 2026.

Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill: HL Bill 171 of 2024–26

  • In Focus

    Looked after children

    Over 81,000 children are currently looked after by local authorities in England, with approximately 9,500 in secure homes and children’s homes. Increasing demand, a high number of placements outside a local authority’s boundaries and the growing cost of providing care have led to calls for reform of the sector. This briefing examines the demographics of looked after children and what can be done to improve the current system.

  • In Focus

    Hillsborough Law

    The government has committed to introducing a ‘Hillsborough Law’, placing a legal duty of candour on public servants and providing legal aid for victims of state related deaths and disasters. In September 2025 the government introduced the Public Office (Accountability) Bill in the House of Commons. This follows calls for legislation to avoid repeating the long process that families and others affected went through to get information about the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

  • In Focus

    Financial provision on divorce and dissolution: Law Commission financial remedies scoping report

    The Law Commission has published a review of the law governing financial remedies on divorce and dissolution in England and Wales. They concluded that the current law lacks certainty and accessibility and that there was need for reform. The report outlined potential models of reform and key policy choices that the government would need to make under each model.

  • In Focus

    NHS staff access to single-sex spaces

    The House of Lords is due to discuss NHS staff access to single-sex spaces on 1 May 2025. Following a recent Supreme Court judgment about the meaning of the term ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010, the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued an interim update on 25 April 2025 about the implications of this for workplaces and services provided to the public.

  • In Focus

    Law relating to prenuptial agreements

    At present, prenuptial agreements are not automatically enforceable by courts in England and Wales. However, a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court in 2010 stated that courts should consider such agreements if entered into freely and with full understanding, unless doing so would be unfair. This has prompted calls for reforming marriage laws, including a Law Commission proposal to introduce a new form of marital property agreement.

  • Research Briefing

    Holocaust Memorial Bill: HL Bill 4 of 2024–25

    The Holocaust Memorial Bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 4 September 2024. This bill seeks to make provision for expenditure on the construction and operation of a Holocaust memorial and learning centre. It would also remove restrictions on building these in Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament. It is a government bill, introduced under the previous Conservative government and continued by the newly elected Labour government. The bill is a hybrid bill, meaning it applies generally but also has a particular effect on specific groups, people or places. This entails additional stages for the bill. The bill is made up of two substantive clauses. It would extend to England and Wales, and apply to England. It would come into force two months after receiving royal assent.

  • Research Briefing

    Arbitration Bill [HL]: HL Bill 1 of 2024–25

    Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution that enables two or more parties to resolve a disagreement privately through a third party instead of going to court. The Arbitration Bill [HL] would amend the Arbitration Act 1996, the principal legislation governing arbitrations in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland. The changes provided for in the bill would implement recommendations from the Law Commission following consultation with the sector.

  • Research Briefing

    Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill: HL Bill 64 of 2023–24

    The Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill is a private member’s bill sponsored by Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative). It would provide for the extension of the maximum lease available to the Zoological Society of London for land in Regent’s Park used by London Zoo. The House of Commons has passed the bill and it has cross-party support. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the bill at second reading on 10 May 2024.

  • In Focus

    Supporting separating parents to resolve private family law disputes

    Some separating couples apply to the family court to resolve disputes, such as where their child should live. Research has shown the negative impact that parental separation involving conflict can have on a child’s mental health and life chances. In January 2024, the government announced a reform programme of the family justice system to support families to resolve private family law disputes more quickly and protect children from lengthy court cases.

  • Research Briefing

    Litigation Funding Agreements (Enforceability) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 56 of 2023–24

    This proposed law would clarify that litigation funding agreements (LFAs) do not constitute damages-based agreements (DBAs). The effect of this would be to give statutory confirmation that LFAs do not need to comply with the statutory and regulatory regime for DBAs to be enforceable. This would address recent concerns that many LFAs were unenforceable as a result of the UK Supreme Court’s ruling in R (PACCAR Inc) v Competition Appeal Tribunal [2023] UKSC 28.

  • Research Briefing

    Conversion Therapy Prohibition (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 5 of 2023–24

    The Conversion Therapy Prohibition (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat). Conversion therapy is a range of practices which seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. If passed, this bill would criminalise offering or practicing conversion therapy, defined as practices where the practitioner demonstrates an assumption of a preferable outcome for a person’s orientation or identity.

  • Research Briefing

    Arbitration Bill [HL]

    Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution that enables opposing parties to resolve a disagreement privately through a third party rather than going to court. The Arbitration Bill [HL] would amend the Arbitration Act 1996, the principal legislation governing arbitrations in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland. The changes provided for in the bill would implement recommendations from the Law Commission following consultation with the sector.

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