Benefit Cap
Benefits included in the cap
The following benefits are included in the calculation for Benefit Cap:
- Bereavement allowance
- Child benefit
- Child tax credit
- ESA (C)
- ESA (IR) (unless the support component has been awarded)
- Housing benefit
- Income support
- Jobseekers allowance
- Maternity allowance
- Severe disablement allowance
- Widows pension, widowed mothers allowance and widowed parents allowance
- Universal Credit
The calculation is based on the full award before any deductions are made.
Benefits that aren’t included
The following are not included in the calculation for benefit cap:
- Bereavement payment
- Guardians allowance
- Carers allowance
- Council Tax Support
- Discretionary Housing Payment
- Any one off payment such as budgeting loans, cold weather payments, LWP payments, funeral payments, Sure Start maternity grants
- Pension credit
- Residency order payments
- Statutory adoption pay paid by employers
- Statutory maternity pay paid by employers
- Statutory shared parental pay paid by employers
- Winter fuel payment
Any benefits or other income not included in the above lists will not be taken into account when calculating the cap.