Benefits cap

The Government extended the national cap on the amount of benefits a single person or family can receive in November 2016.

This is known as the Benefit Cap. 

The benefit cap is:

• £384.62 per week (£20,000 a year) for a family or couple
• £384.62 per week (£20,000 a year) for a single person with children living with them
• £257.69 per week (£13,400 a year) for a single person.

The Cap applies to certain benefits

If you are of working age, between 16 and 64, and already getting more than £384.62 as a family, or £257.69 as a single person, a week in benefit - your Housing Benefit will be reduced to keep your benefits below the Cap limit.

This will not apply if you or your partner are eligible for Working Tax Credit.

You may want to consider moving to cheaper housing if your new benefit payments are not enough to cover your housing costs.

The cap applies to the total amount of people in a household, including partners and any children,who get certain benefits including:

• Bereavement Allowance
• Child Benefit
• Child Tax Credit
• Employment and Support Allowance (unless you get the support’ component)
• Housing Benefit
• Incapacity Benefit
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Maternity Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Universal Credit (unless you aren’t deemed fit for work)

Some benefits don’t count towards the Cap

The cap won’t apply to you - if you, your partner or any children you are responsible for - are in receipt of any of the following:

• Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance (support component)
• Guardian’s Allowance
• Industrial Injuries Benefit
• Personal Independence Payment
• War Widow’s or War Widower’s Pension