Benefit cap rolled out in Rochdale

The Government’s Benefit Cap, which limits the amount of benefits people can claim to £500 a week, is now being rolled out in Rochdale. Locally this means that around 100 claimants could have their benefits restricted to the earnings of an average household.

Since April of last year Jobcentre Plus advisors have been in touch with all claimants who might be affected by this important change. They have also being working closely with the local authority to ensure everyone gets the information they need.

Sharon Kwei - Sutcliff from Rochdale Jobcentre Plus said: “We’ve been speaking to people over the last year to give them extra help to get into work.

"We are providing tailored support to help people move into work and the vast majority of people are really keen to get into work and are enthusiastic about the help they are getting. For those who haven’t been in contact yet, it’s important that they take up the offer of help in good time, so that they have time to think about the options available.

“Nationally Jobcentre Plus has been helping those claimants potentially affected with 12,400 already having moved into work and 32,300 having accepted employment support.”

The cap is set at £500 a week for couples with or without children, and lone parent households. There is a lower cap at £350 which applies to single people. Claimants who are eligible for Working Tax Credit are exempt from the Benefit Cap, giving benefit claimants a clear reason to move into work.

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 benefits such as Housing Benefit, Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit.

Households with someone in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, the support component of Employment and Support Allowance and War Widow’s or Widower’s Pension aren’t affected.