Restrict child benefit to two children per family, Tories say He said: "I don't think it is a good idea to make policy on the back of one story. But there is a strong argument to restrict child benefit whether it is to two, three, or four children. Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee, added: "I would support limiting child benefit for new claimants to a maximum of two children." And Mark Reckless, the MP for Rochester and Strood and a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "The welfare bill is far too high and it needs to come down. One measure might be to restrict child benefit by comparing the average number of children in working families to those in out-of-work families. George Osborne, the Chancellor, this week said the Government is looking to get around European Union laws that currently allow immigrants to claim child benefit in the UK and send it abroad. The Chancellor said: "The truth is we are absolutely wrestling with that issue at the moment and trying to find a way that is legal to make sure that benefits do not go to the continent of Europe.