What is the Benefit Cap?

There is a limit on the total amount of benefit that most working age people can get.

This is called the benefit cap and the amount is:

£423.46 a week for couples (with or without children)
£423.46 a week for single parents, whose children live with them
£283.71 a week for single adults, who don’t have children or whose children don’t live with them.

The benefit cap does not apply:

to people who are old enough to qualify for pension credit
if anyone in your household qualifies for Working Tax Credit or if you get certain benefits, including Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance and/or, the support component of Employment and Support Allowance
during the first 39 weeks of unemployment if you, or your partner, had been working continuously for the previous 12 months
if you get either Carers' Allowance or Guardians' Allowance.

For more information on the Benefit Cap visit GOV.UK - Benefit cap

How the Benefit Cap could affect your Housing Benefit

If the cap affects you, your Housing Benefit will be reduced so that your total income is not above the limit.

This may mean that you will have to use money from your other benefits to pay some or all of your rent.

For more information, advice or support email advice@citizensadvice.org.uk

If you disagree with a decision we have made about your benefit cap, contact our benefits service straight away
Get debt and borrowing advice
Consider moving to a home with a lower rent
Apply for a temporary Discretionary Housing Payment
Contact Shelter
Get job seeking advice or support
Speak to your Jobcentre Plus work coach
Call the Department for Work and Pensions benefit helpline on 0345 605 7064 or, for people with hearing or speech impairments, textphone 0345 608 8551.