Benefits Cap Begins Roll-out Across Britain
- 15 Jul
A cap on the amount of benefits people can receive is now being rolled out across England, Wales and Scotland.
The cap which affects all people of working age was introduced in April in four London boroughs - Croydon, Bromley, Haringey and Enfield.
It was made to ensure that benefits payments do not go beyond the income of the average working household.
The cap began being rolled out in other places on Monday and will be fully implemented by the 30th of September.
Benefits that are involved include child benefit, housing benefit, jobseeker's allowance and incapacity benefit, while disability living allowance and the personal independence payment among others are exempt.
Campaigners have cautioned that many households will not be able to cope with the resultant drop in income.
However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has placed restrictions which are supposed to provide an incentive for those receiving benefits to seek work and prevent families from receiving more by depending on welfare .
The government's impact assessment of the Welfare Reform Act projected that:
"As many as 56,000 households would be affected, losing on average about £93 a week."
In London, over 7,000 low-income families will lose more than £100 a week.
The DWP says:
" The cap will save £110m a year, which compares with a total benefits bill of £159bn in 2011-12."
For more statistics on the cap, visit the Guardian.
Image source: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/200384
Related articles
- 28 Aug
Figures find thousands of benefit claimants died after found fit for work
Over 80 people a month have died shortly after being declared “fit to work” prompting campaigners to call for an overhaul of the government’s welfare system, reports the Guardian.Figures from...
- 24 Aug
Disability campaigners concerned over benefit shakeups
The Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is set to announce new reforms to sickness benefits in the hope to get more people into work, reports the Guardian.It is expected the Mr Duncan Smith...
- 07 Aug
Single parents are being hit by benefit cuts
Government statistics detailing who has been affected by the policy have found that in May 2015 49% were single parents with children under the age of five, reports the Guardian.It is being said that...
- 30 Jul
Government to review helping benefit claimants back into work
Led by Professor Dame Carol Black, the inquiry will consider the case for linking people who are entitled to benefits with accepting appropriate treatment or support, reports 24dash.The review's...
- 23 Jul
Call for review of benefits delivery
The inquiry will look at the problems that could occur when benefits are underpaid or delayed, reports 24dash. The Committee invites written evidence on: Frank Field MP, chair of the committee,...
- 15 May
11,400 tenants could be affected by new benefits cut
Inside Housing have analysed data from the government's Stat-Xplore website and has found that 11,449 social housing tenants are set to be affected by the governments plans to remove housing benefit...
- 24 Mar
Deaths due to benefit sanctions should have independent investigations
A report into benefit sanctions by the Work and Pensions Committee has said that suicides linked to sanctions should be scrutinised in a similar manner to deaths in police custody, reports Inside...
- 11 Mar
Charity finds benefit sanctions regime to be flawed
A report conducted for Crisis by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University found that benefit claimants were subject to a ‘postcode lottery' on whether or...
- 30 Oct
Cuts to employment and support allowance benefits
With these cuts it could see new claimants being given just 50p more per week than people who are on job seekers allowance, reports the BBC. The Department for Work and Pensions have said the ESA...
- 10 Oct
Proposed benefit rule labelled ‘worse than poor law'
The Social Security Advisory Committee is currently cons ulting on the proposals which George Osborne first announced in June 2013, reports Inside Housing.The seven day wait would occur on top of the...
Revenue Optimisation "I am really impressed with Support Solutions and how small organisations are supported with information and training" Susan Harrison (Tenant Support Services)
