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If you are under State Pension Age, there may be a limit on the total amount of benefits your household can receive. If your income goes above this amount, your working-age Housing Benefit or Universal Credit is reduced until it drops below the limit again. This is called a benefit cap.
Who does it affect?
The benefit cap doesn't apply to everyone. It will only affect you if you are:
- under State Pension age
- receiving Housing Benefit or Universal Credit
- getting an income over a certain limit, and you’re in receipt of certain benefits. You can read the full list of benefits that are affected by the cap on Gov.uk.
Some people are exempt from the cap. For example, if you or your partner are receiving certain other benefits, such as Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment, the benefit cap won’t apply.
If you’re over State Pension age, the benefit cap will not apply to you. If you're in a couple and one of you is over State Pension age and one of you is not, you will usually be exempt, unless you or your partner are continuing to claim certain working age benefits.
How will it affect me?
If you are single, the cap for 2022/23 is set at £296.35 a week if you live in Greater London, and £257.69 if you live outside of Greater London.
If you are in a couple, the cap for 2022/2023 is set at £442.31 a week if you live in Greater London, and £384.62 a week if you live anywhere else in the UK. As a couple, you are exempt from the benefit cap if you have both reached State Pension age.
If you're in a couple where only one of you is under State Pension age, call our free Helpline (0800 319 6789) for advice. If you are affected by the cap and are under State Pension age, contact Citizens Advice for advice.
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