100 families hit by benefits cap

Around 100 Rochdale households will be affected by the Government benefits cap now being introduced across the country.

The cap limits working-age families to a maximum benefit of £26,000 a year — the average wage - to restore fairness to the welfare state. The amount lost by local families ranges from £50 to over £100 a week.

The same number of households will be affected in Oldham.

In Manchester, 500 families claiming over the capping limit will have their benefits cut, with 100 of them losing over £100 a week.

The cap will apply to combined income from the main out-of-work benefits — jobseeker’s allowance, income support and employment support allowance — and other allowances such as housing benefit, child benefit and child tax credit.

It will not affect a household if a member is entitled to working tax credit, and those receiving disability living allowance and war widow’s or widower’s pension will also be exempt.