Benefit cap

The good news is that these changes shouldn’t affect a lot of our customers. But if you have been affected, the amount will probably be taken from your housing benefit or the housing part of your Universal Credit, which means you’ll need to pay your full rent and any service charges using your other benefits.

You might be affected by the benefit cap if you claim:

• Bereavement Allowance
• Child benefit
• Child Tax Credit
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Housing benefit
• Incapacity benefit
• Income support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Maternity Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Universal Credit
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance (or Widowed Mother’s Allowance or Widow’s Pension if you started getting it before 9 April 2001)

You might be exempt from the benefit cap if you:

• Are over state pension age (currently aged 65)
• Get working tax credit (even if the amount you get is £0)
• Get Universal Credit because you have a disability or health problem that means you can’t work
• Get Universal Credit because you care for someone else with a disability
• Get Universal Credit and you and your partner earn over £569 a month together, after tax and National Insurance contributions

If you or anyone living in your home is getting money from:

• Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Guardian’s Allowance
• Industrial injuries benefits
• Personal Independence Payment
• War pensions
• War widow or widower’s pension

If you’re still not sure how the benefit cap could affect you, and would like to speak to someone, there’s lots of free support and advice out there; you could see if there’s a local advice agency near you or speak with Citizens Advice for more info.