UK and Serbia: restrictive child benefit policies increase socio-economic vulnerability of families, issues raised about human rights violations and discrimination
Overview of issues at hand:
- The UK and Serbia place upper limits on per-child payments with the consequence that families do not receive enough financial support
- UK and Serbian social security systems not compliant with human rights, despite recommendations by intergovernmental organizations
- Restrictions perpetuate poverty levels
- Both countries develop austerity-driven policy making leaving families more affected in the wake of Covid-19
- Restrictions correlate with discrimination against specific groups
Child benefit policy in Serbia:
- Per-child limit long standing practice in social benefits as per several laws, including contested “Law on financial support of the Family with Children”
- Limit set to 3 children until 2000s, now under banner of depopulation increased to 4 children
- Despite small percentage of families affected, they constitute as economically most vulnerable and highly dependent on social benefits
Child benefit policy in the UK:
- Two-child limit introduced April 2017
- Children born after 2017 not eligible for welfare, by 2020 over 243,00 households affected
- Limited options to overcome restrictions, only options violate right to private and family life
- Supreme Court ruling on incompliancy with European Human Rights awaited since October 2020
Discrimination and disproportionally impacted communities:
- UK: Muslim and Jewish families, groups include Pakistani, Roma and Traveler communities
- Serbia: Muslim and Roma communities, and families residing in rural or impoverished areas of the country
- discriminatory practices merely noted, no legislative action taken against them
Impact of restrictions
- Child Poverty Action Group (UK) May 2020 Report: Restrictions act as “the main driver of rising child poverty”, projected child poverty will be predominantly amongst larger families
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