Benefit Cap

There is a limit on the total amount of benefit that most people aged 16 to 64 can get. This is called the Benefit Cap.

Families who receive working tax credits or work enough hours to claim tax credits are exempt from the Benefit Cap, as well as those who receive disability living allowance, personal independence payments, attendance allowance, support component of employment and support allowance, industrial injuries benefits or those of pension age.

The level of the cap is:

• £423.46 a week (£22,019 per year) for a couple, whether children live with them or not.
• £423.46 a week (£22,019 per year) for single parents whose children live with them.
• £283.71 a week (£14,724.84 per year) for single adults who don't have children, or whose children don't live with them.

More information is available from the Related Sites section of this webpage.