PEOPLE on benefits in Bromley will be among the first in the country to have them capped, it has been announced.

The borough has been selected to trial the coalition government’s reform to the benefit system from April 1 – along with Croydon, Enfield and Haringey.

From this date couples (with or without children living with them) will have their benefits capped at £500 a week.

Single parents whose children live with them will receive a maximum of £500 a week.

And single adults who do not have children, or whose children do not live with them, will get their benefits capped at £350.

The cap applies to the total amount people in a household get from the following benefits:

  • Bereavement Allowance
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Child Benefit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Employment and Support Allowance (unless you get the support component)
  • Guardian’s Allowance
  • Housing Benefit 
  • Incapacity Benefit
  • Income Support
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Maternity Allowance
  • Severe Disablement Allowance
  • Widowed Parent’s Allowance (or Widowed Mother’s Allowance or Widows Pension you started getting before 9 April 2001)

    You will not be affected by the benefit cap if you qualify for working tax credit or if you get any of the following benefits:
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment (from April 2013)
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Industrial Injuries Benefits (and equivalent payments as part of a war disablement pension or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme)
  • Employment and Support Allowance, if you get the support component
  • War Widow’s or War Widower’s Pension

    If you could be affected by the cap you will be contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions and they will let you know what will happen to your benefits.

Will you be affected by the benefits cap? Call the News Shopper on 01689 885725.