FOI request (FOI207184)

Household Benefit Cap

Requested Fri 10 February 2017
Responded Fri 10 February 2017

I am a researcher at the housing charity Shelter. We are seeking to understand the impact of the household benefit cap on local authorities in England. We would be incredibly grateful for your help.

I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of information Act 2000.

1.            Please provide the most recent data available for your local authority:

All households

•             The number of households who have their benefits reduced by the Household Benefit Cap introduced by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 in your area. (Please include both households who were already subject to the previous benefit cap of £26,000/£18,200, and those newly affected by the lowered cap).

•             The average reduction in these households’ benefit award, and the number of these households who have a reduction of £100 or more a week.

Homeless households in temporary accommodation

•             The number of homeless households accommodated by your authority in temporary accommodation who have their benefits reduced by the Household Benefit Cap.

•             The average reduction in these households’ benefit award.

2.            If you have carried out an assessment of the impact of lowering the cap in your local authority, please provide this document.

Response

All households
• The number of households who have their benefits reduced by the Household Benefit Cap introduced by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 in your area. (Please include both households who were already subject to the previous benefit cap of £26,000/£18,200, and those newly affected by the lowered cap) - RESPONSE: 193

• The average reduction in these households’ benefit award OUR RESPONSE: £82.80, and the number of these households who have a reduction of £100 or more a week - RESPONSE: 64

Homeless households in temporary accommodation

• The number of homeless households accommodated by your authority in temporary accommodation who have their benefits reduced by the Household Benefit Cap - RESPONSE: 2

• The average reduction in these households’ benefit award - RESPONSE: £148.84

2. If you have carried out an assessment of the impact of lowering the cap in your local authority, please provide this document - RESPONSE: Information not held, this would be dealt with by Central Government.