MP Champions Major Child Poverty Reforms in Stockport
Navendu Mishra MP has highlighted the daily struggles faced by parents dealing with rising bills and the increasing need to cut back on essentials and small family pleasures. He emphasizes that supporting households and tackling child poverty are central to helping people feel better off, stating this remains a government priority.
Scrapping the Two-Child Benefit Cap
One crucial step forward is the decision to lift the punishing two-child benefit cap. Mishra proudly voted to scrap this policy, which in Stockport alone will lift over 3,000 children out of poverty, and 450,000 across Britain, by the end of this Parliament. He argues that reversing the two-child limit is widely recognized as one of the most effective actions to reduce child poverty, and questions whether MPs who voted against scrapping it genuinely care about improving the lives of the country's poorest children and their families.
Expanding Support for Families
The Government is also expanding support for children and working families. Plans to establish free breakfast clubs in every primary school will help ensure children start the day ready to learn and give parents a helping hand in the morning. From April, a further 500 schools will join the Best Start breakfast programme, extending support to 300,000 children who need it most.
Free School Meals are being expanded too, meaning 6,000 more children in Stockport will become eligible. Together, these reforms are set to deliver a huge reduction in child poverty within this Parliament, making real differences to families in Stockport.
Addressing SEND Provision and Child Wellbeing
Mishra also addresses concerns about SEND provision, including the local authority process for securing EHCPs and waiting times. In November 2025, he held a roundtable with Stockport parents and carers, raising their experiences directly with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP. He recently met her to discuss these ongoing concerns, noting that families across the country share similar worries about the future and funding of SEND provision.
Hundreds of parents have contacted him about the impact of social media and smartphones on their children's wellbeing. He welcomes the Government's decision to launch a three-month consultation on children's social media use, including the option of introducing age-based restrictions. Alongside this, Ministers are strengthening support for children in care and care leavers, making school uniforms more affordable, and improving child protection through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Improvements in NHS Waiting Times
NHS waiting times are down thanks to record levels of care delivered last year. Waiting lists have fallen by more than 330,000 with hundreds of thousands more people treated within the 18-week target. Shorter waiting times will have a direct and positive impact on children's physical, developmental and mental health, as well as providing crucial support to families caring for unwell children.
The NHS remains one of the country's greatest achievements—free health services at the point of use—and Mishra shares this Government's commitment to keep it that way. He warns that moving to an insurance-style and privatised system will mean more expense for working families and access to inferior healthcare.
Community Engagement and Future Plans
Mishra encourages constituents to raise issues with him, noting his town centre office remains open weekdays from 10am to 3.30pm. He concludes by affirming his dedication to building a stronger, fairer Stockport and supporting policies in Westminster that improve the lives of working people and families in the town.
