Benefit cap

If you are under State Pension age, there may be a limit on the total amount in benefits your household can get. If your income goes above this amount, your benefit will be reduced until it drops below the limit again. This is called a benefit cap.

Who does the benefit cap affect?

The benefit cap may apply if you or your partner, if you have one, are:

  • under State Pension age
  • receiving Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, or certain other benefits
  • receiving a total amount in these benefits that is above the benefit cap amount. 

You can read the full list of benefits affected by the cap on Gov.uk.

Who is not affected by the benefit cap?

The cap does not apply to some people – for example, if you or your partner are receiving certain other benefits, such as:

You can read the full list of benefits that are not affected by the cap on Gov.uk. 

If you're receiving Universal Credit, the benefit cap might not start for nine months, depending on your situation and earnings. You can check if this applies to you on Gov.uk. There may be other exemptions, so contact Citizens Advice or Citizens Advice Scotland to check. 

If you’re over State Pension age, the benefit cap will not apply to you. But if you're in a couple and only one of you is over State Pension age, the cap may apply, unless you’re not affected because you get certain other benefits.

How much is the benefit cap?

For 2026/27, the monthly cap is set at the following levels.

If you live in Greater London and you are:

single£1,413.92
single and responsible for a child who lives with you – or in a couple£2,110.25

If you live outside Greater London and you are:

single£1,229.42
single and responsible for a child who lives with you – or in a couple£1,835.00

The benefit cap does not apply if you are in a couple and you have both reached State Pension age.

If you're in a couple where only one of you is under State Pension age, contact our free Helpline for advice. If you're affected by the cap and are under State Pension age, contact Citizens Advice or Citizens Advice Scotland.

What help can I get if I'm affected by the benefit cap?

If you’re getting Universal Credit and you’re struggling because of the benefit cap, contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). You can contact the DWP through your online account or by calling the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.

You may also be able to apply for a Budgeting Loan (or Budgeting Advance if you get Universal Credit), but seek financial advice first.

If you do not get Universal Credit, you can contact the Benefit cap helpline on 0800 169 0145.

If you need help paying your rent, you could contact your local council to see if you qualify for any extra support. Read our webpage Help with your rent or mortgage for more information.

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Next steps

To find out more about the benefit cap, whether you’re affected and how it affects your benefits, visit Gov.uk.

You can also check when you’ll reach State Pension age online. If you’ll be reaching State Pension age soon, read our guide Benefits when you reach State Pension age.

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