If you are affected by the benefit cap you will be contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions who will explain what the cap might mean for you.
Benefits affected by the cap
The benefit cap is a limit on the total amount of benefit you can get. It applies to most people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age.
The benefit cap affects:
- Universal Credit
- 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
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance (or Widowed Mother’s Allowance or Widow’s Pension if you started getting it before 9 April 2001)
You might not be affected by the benefit cap if you get certain benefits or you’re over State Pension age.
If you’re claiming Universal Credit the benefit cap might not start for 9 months, depending on your earnings.
The amount you get through the benefit cap depends on whether:
- you live inside or outside Greater London.
- you’re single or in a couple.
- your children live with you (if you’re single).
If you’re in a couple but you do not live together, you’ll get the amounts for a single person.
When you're not affected
You’re not affected by the cap if you’re over State Pension age. If you’re part of a couple and one of you is under State Pension age, the cap may apply.
You’re not affected by the cap if you or your partner:
- get Working Tax Credit(even if the amount you get is £0)
- get Universal Credit because of a disability or health condition that stops you from working (this is called ‘limited capability for work and work-related activity’)
- get Universal Credit because you care for someone with a disability.
- get Universal Credit and you and your partner earn £793 or more a month combined, after tax and National Insurance contributions.
You’re also not affected by the cap if you, your partner, or any children under 18 living with you gets:
- Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
- Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Employment and Support Allowance (if you get the support component)
- Guardian’s Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Benefits (and equivalent payments as part of a War Disablement Pension or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- War pensions
- War Widow’s or War Widower’s Pension
If you are affected, the benefit cap might not start for 9 months - depending on your earnings.
Please visit GOV.UK - Benefit Cap information and calculator for more information
Help if you're affected by the benefit cap
Contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if you’re affected by the benefit cap and you need help.
If you get Universal Credit
Contact DWP either:
- through the journal in your online account
- by calling the Universal Credit helpline
If you get any other benefits
Benefit cap helpline if you do not get Universal Credit
Telephone: 0800 169 0145
Telephone (Welsh): 0800 169 0238
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0145
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
Contact Information
Name of Team: Benefits
Telephone: 01495 311556