'Poverty tsar' may stop child benefit at the age of 13

In an interview with The Times, the Labour MP revealed he will look at a variety of options to overhaul child benefits as part of his role chairing the government's Review on Poverty and Life Chances.

He told the newspaper that he is against means testing the universal child benefit, but instead will look at stopping it at 13, or even taxing the benefit.

He said: "In the past few days there has been a lot in the press about whether we should means test child benefits. What I would like to introduce is another way of looking at this — age-relating it."

Currently, parents are paid £20.30 a week for their eldest child and £13.40 for younger children, with payments carrying on until they are 19 years old if they stay in full-time education. If payments stopped at 13, it is estimated £3bn could be saved.

Other elements of his remit include reviewing the official definition of poverty, which is currently households with less than 60 per cent of the median income.

Child poverty is another focus, particularly improvements that can be made to family life before a child starts primary school.