Benefit Cap

Starting from 15 July 2013, the overall amount of benefit you can receive will be capped.

The government will add up how much money you get from a range of benefits, including housing benefit, jobseeker’s allowance, income support, employment support allowance, child benefit, child tax credit and carer’s allowance.

If the total comes to more than the maximum amount allowed your housing benefit payments will be reduced. The maximum amount of benefit you will be able to receive will be:

• £500 per week for single parents
• £500 per week for couples with or without children
• £350 per week for single people without children.

This will not apply to you if:

• you get pension credit or working tax credit
• a member of your household is claiming disability living allowance, attendance allowance, industrial injuries benefits or the support element of employment support allowance.
• you are working and receiving working tax credits.

If you are affected by the cap, we will have to reduce the amount of Housing Benefit that we pay you.

Example

Mr & Mrs A are not working. They get Jobseekers Allowance of £112.55 a week.
They have four children and receive £256.00 a week in Child Tax Credits and £60.50 in Child Benefit. They also get £118.00 per week Housing Benefit.

The total that they are receiving each week in benefits is £547.05 so they are £47.05 per week above the "cap" of £500.00. This means that their Housing Benefit will be reduced by £47.05 per week to £70.95.

For more information and to see how it may affect you, visit Benefit Cap Calculator or call the dedicated helpline on tel: 0845 605 7064. Text phone 0845
6088551.