Benefit cap
There is a cap on the amount of benefits a working-age household will get.
The following benefits are included in the cap:
- bereavement allowance, widowed parent's or mother's allowance
- carer's allowance
- child benefit
- child tax credit
- employment and support allowance, except where support component has been awarded
- guardian's allowance
- housing benefit, not including housing benefit paid for supported exempt accommodation
- incapacity benefit
- income support
- job seeker's allowance
- maternity allowance
- severe disablement allowance
- widow's pension or widow's pension age-related
Any benefit or other income that are not included in the above list will not be taken into account when calculating the level of the cap.
The cap will not apply to households where the claimant, partner or any dependant child receives or is entitled to the following:
- attendance allowance
- disability living allowance or Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- support component or employment and support allowance
- industrial injuries benefits, equivalent war disablement pensions and payments under the armed forces compensation scheme
- war widows, war widowers or war disablement pension
- working tax credits
You can find the latest benefit cap amounts at GOV.UK: benefit cap amounts.
The cap will not be applied for 39 weeks to those who have been in work continuously for the previous 12 months and who lose their job through no fault of their own.
Extra help and advice
Extra funding will be awarded to the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) fund to provide assistance to vulnerable households.
Phone the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if you need help with the benefit cap.
For more information go to: