Benefit Cap

Households not affected by the cap

A household means an individual, their partner (if they have one) and any children they are responsible for and who live with them. If your household is in one of the following groups, the cap will not affect you:

Households who are entitled to Working Tax Credit (WTC) (a claim must have been made) even if their earnings mean they have nil entitlement

Households who are in receipt of:

  • the support component of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • industrial injuries benefits (and the equivalent payments as part of a war disablement pension or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payment)
  • war widow/widowers pension
  • carers allowance
  • guardian’s allowance

 The cap will end if someone in the household:

  • starts work and becomes entitled to Working Tax Credit (WTC). If someone makes a claim for WTC and they have nil entitlement because of their earnings, the cap will end as long as a claim for WTC has been made
  • becomes entitled to one of the exemptions.

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