What you're entitled to

Total includes housing benefit

new benefit cap for single person is 257.69 per week Previously £350 (£18,200)new capPreviously £500 (£26,000)

 

The Benefit Cap - what you need to know

Applies to the benefits of a household (you, partner, and dependent children).  It will be Housing Benefit or Universal Credit that is capped. 

Dependents are children that you receive child benefit for.  This can be up to their 20th birthday. 

            CAP rates for Universal Credit 

  • £1,666.67 per month for a couples and families 

  • £1,116.67 per month for single people 

           Cap rates for Housing Benefit  

  • £384.62pw for a couple/lone parent with children(20k)   

  • £257.69pw for single people(£13,400k) t  

 

If you are affected consider one of the following: 

  • Make a claim for Personal Independence payment(PIP) , or Disability living allowance(DLA) / PIP for a child. 

  • Be in the support group of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or the limited capability work related activity group (LCWRA) on Universal Credit. 

  • Make a claim for Carers allowance or have the carer element on your UC claim (Nb, to get this element included on your  UC claim you don’t need to claim carers allowance but just meet the qualifying criteria ..providing support for 35 hours per week for a person who gets a qualifying benefit …DLA middle/high rate, PIP daily living standard or enhanced Daily Living or Attendance Allowance )    

  • Gain employment (You or your partner, have earnings equal to or exceeding the equivalent of 16 hours at the minimum wage multiplied by 52 and divided by 12.) 

 

benefit cap

What’s Included in the calculation  

Excluded from the cap if someone in the household … 

 

 

Claim UC and you, or your partner, had earnings equal to or exceeding the equivalent of 16 hours at the minimum wage multiplied by 52 and divided by 12. 

 

 

Has been employed continuously in the previous 12 months and  had earnings equal to or exceeding 16 hours at the equivalent rate of the national minimum wage for each month then the  Cap won’t apply for first 39 weeks of your claim.(9 months) 

 

 

Of State pension age unless claiming JSA IB, ESA IR or IS 

working age customers  

 

Included benefits for UC 

Excluded from the cap if anyone in the household claims one of the following benefits… 

 

Housing benefit (unless in supported housing) 

Housing benefit for supported accommodation 

Universal Credit(child care costs excluded from Calculation)  

DLA or PIP(customer/partner or child) 

Child Benefit 

Attendance allowance 

ESA (support group LCWRA excluded from CAP)  

ESA - Support component LCWRA (gets paid, not credits only) 

Incapacity benefit 

Industrial injuries benefits 

Child benefit  

War widows/widowers pension 

Child tax credits 

War Disablement Pension 

Guardian’s allowance 

Working tax credits 

Carer’s allowance 

Carers allowance  

Maternity allowance  

 

Widows parents allowance 

 

Severe disablement allowance 

Benefits not included in the CAP total 

Widows pension 

Discretionary Housing payments. 

As above for HB with addition of Housing Benefit (specified accommodation excluded) 

Council tax support / reduction 

 

Budgeting loan / advances 

 

One off council crisis payments 

 

Free school meals 

 

Child maintenance payments 

 

Winter fuel payments 

 

Statutory mat, paternity, adoption pay/stat sick pay