FOI request (FOI203898)

Benefit Cap

Requested Fri 13 January 2017
Responded Fri 13 January 2017

Please can you tell me if the council has done any work looking at how many tenants or benefit recipients are now affected by the new benefit cap introduced on 7 November?

If so, please tell me:

• How many tenants or benefit recipients are now affected
• How many tenants or benefit recipients were affected under the first benefit cap
• How many of these tenants are in rent arrears?
• What size home tenants affected by the new benefit cap occupy? i.e. 1 bed, 2 bed
• How much money has been spent by the council to support people affected by the new benefit cap i.e. helping to manage money, set up training or employment opportunities

Even if you are only able to answer part of these questions please still send a response.

Response

Q1 - 173 Benefit Recipients are now affected by the benefit cap as at 9th January 2017

Q2 -  As at 06th November 2016 42 Customers were affected under the first benefit cap

Q3 - Information not held - this data is not required to held by this office.

Q4 -  For calculation of the benefit cap it is not a requirement to gather the number of bedrooms and therefore the data is not available.

Q5 -  A full time post with a contract duration of 12 Months from 10/11/2016 has been created.
- The Benefit Cap Co-ordinator will contact and work with all customers affected by the benefit cap either historic cases or those newly affected.
- The role is designed to provide direct advice and assistance or sign-posting to agencies which provide the relevant support i.e. debt advice etc…