Benefit cap

If you are part of a working age household, the largest weekly amount of benefit paid is:

• £423.46 for a lone parent, couple or family
• £283.71 for a single person

The UK Government states that if the benefits cap applies to your household, the council must deduct the excess from your weekly Housing Benefit payments. This may mean that you'll need to pay more rent. This could apply to tenants who have never paid rent before. The council will issue Housing Benefit decision letters to advise of the reduced award.

If you qualify for Universal Credit, deductions due to the cap will be made from that payment by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The DWP will contact you before the cap is applied to your benefit. If you need help with the benefit cap, you can call DWP on 0345 600 0723.

If you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit and are having difficulty paying your rent, you may be eligible for Discretionary Housing Payments.

This cap does not apply if anyone in your household is claiming:

• Adult/Child Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payments
• Employment Support Allowance support component
• Industrial Injuries Benefit
• War Disablement Pension
• Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Payments
• War Widows/Widowers Pension
• Working Tax Credit
• Carers Allowance
• Guardians Allowance

Full details of the benefit cap are available from the UK Government website. Housing Association Tenants can contact their Housing Association directly. Private Tenants should be contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions.