BENEFIT CHANGES The Benefit Cap

www.homesforharingey.org/benefits

Many of the government’s changes to welfare The benefit cap will apply to the total amount and benefits will be coming into force this year - that the people in your household get from the including an overall benefit cap which will following benefits: restrict how much anyone can receive each week in benefits. • Bereavement Allowance • Carer’s Allowance The benefit cap in Haringey • Child Benefit • Child Tax Credit Haringey is one of just four boroughs in the • Employment and Support Allowance (unless country picked by the Department for Work and you get the support component) Pensions (DWP) as a pilot borough. This means • Guardian’s Allowance that from April 2013 the benefit cap will apply • in Haringey (as well as Bromley, Croydon and • Enfield). All other areas will introduce the cap by • the end of September 2013. • Jobseeker’s Allowance • Maternity Allowance You may have heard that there will be a • Severe Disablement Allowance staggered approach to the introduction of the • Widowed Parent’s Allowance (or Widowed benefit cap which would give some people more Mother’s Allowance or Widows Pension you time to prepare for the change. This is not the started getting before 9 April 2001). case. The Government has decided that there will be no delay in Haringey. For an online benefit cap calculator go to the GOV.UK’s website at: www.gov.uk From 15 April 2013, total household benefits will be limited to: The following benefits will not be part of the benefit cap calculation and can be received in • £500 a week for couples (with or without addition to the maximum payment under the children living with them) cap: • £500 a week for single adults whose children live with them Council Tax Benefit (note - this will be replaced • £350 a week for single adults who don’t have by a new council tax reduction scheme in April), children, or whose children don’t live with discretionary housing payments, bereavement them. payments and social fund payments (such as pension credits and a range of statutory payments paid by employers such as maternity, adoption and sick pay).

Homes for Haringey Ltd FACTSHEET: THE BENEFIT CAP - 01/13 Important: With changes to housing benefit, If you’re seeing a Jobcentre Plus adviser, Work council tax benefit, the benefit cap, as well as Programme or Work Choice provider, they’ll a rent increase, your budget could be severely continue to help you look for work and get skills affected from April onwards. Make sure you you may need for a job. are prepared and that you can keep up with your rent payments. If you are concerned, If your total benefit remains over £350/£500 once don’t hesitate to call us on 020 8489 1539. Housing Benefit has been removed then the cap won’t be applied to your other benefits. If you are set to be affected by the cap, only your Housing Are there any exemptions? Benefit or will be reduced.

Yes there are some important exemptions. About Working Tax Credit If you work sufficient hours to qualify for Working If an individual, their partner or any children they Tax Credit, but your earnings are such that you are responsible for – and who live with them in a have nil entitlement, you will still be exempt from household – are entitled to Working Tax Credit or the benefit cap. But if you don’t work sufficient are in receipt of any of the following payments, hours to qualify for Working Tax Credit, the benefit they will be exempt from the upper limit and still cap will still apply. able to receive payments over the cap: How can I get more info and advice? • Attendance Allowance; • the support component of Employment Support We strongly urge you to get in touch with an Allowance (ESA); officer in our Income Collection team if you are • Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or its concerned about being affected by the benefit cap replacement; or any of the other benefit changes. Get in touch • Personal Independence Allowance (PIP); with our Financial Inclusion team directly on 020 • Industrial Injuries Benefits; 8489 1539. • Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments; • War Pension Scheme payments (includes War The Citizens Advice Bureau has set up a special Widow’s/Widower's Pension and War information line on benefit changes on 020 8347 Disablement Pension). 3119. You can also visit www.haringeycabx.org.uk or visit one of the Citizens Advice Bureau centres What do I need to do? as follows:

If you are affected, your Housing Benefit will go Tottenham CAB drop in: 551B High Road, N17 down to make sure that the total amount of benefit 6SB (next to Barclays Bank). Open Mondays, you get isn’t more than the cap level. Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 4pm.

If you are already getting benefits and could be Turnpike Lane CAB drop in: 14A Willoughby Road, affected, the Department for Work and Pensions N8 0JJ. Open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and (DWP) will contact you and let you know what will Thursdays from 9.30am to 4pm. happen to your benefits. You may, in fact, already have received a letter from the Government You can also find a summary of the main benefit warning that you are likely to be affected and see changes at: a reduction in your housing benefit from April this www.homesforharingey.org/benefits year. If this is the case, you need to use your other www.haringey.gov.uk/benefitchanges benefits to manage your rent payments.

For a complete list of all our publications and factsheets, go to: www.homesforharingey.org/publications

Homes for Haringey Ltd Factsheet: The Benefit Cap / 01/13