Benefits Cap Calculator & Guide
Instantly check if your household is affected by the UK benefits cap. Free tool estimates your potential weekly benefit reduction based on current DWP limits.
Check Your Benefit Cap Status
Enter your household details and total weekly benefits to see if you exceed the statutory limit and estimate any potential weekly reduction.
Household Details
Enter your current living situation and benefit totals
Cap Assessment
Calculated limits and potential reductions
Current Benefit Cap Limits
Statutory weekly benefit cap limits effective from April 2023, as set by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
| Location | Household Type | Weekly Limit | Annual Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside London | Couple or Lone Parent | £423.46 | £22,020 |
| Outside London | Single person | £283.71 | £14,753 |
| Inside London | Couple or Lone Parent | £486.98 | £25,323 |
| Inside London | Single person | £326.29 | £16,967 |
Benefits Cap FAQ
Everything you need to know about the UK benefit cap, exemptions, and how it affects your household.
The benefit cap is a limit on the total amount of benefit most people aged 16 to State Pension age can receive. It applies to the combined total of specific welfare benefits your household receives, ensuring that workless households do not receive more in benefits than the average working household earns.
You are exempt from the benefit cap if you or your partner work and earn at least £881 a month after tax. You are also exempt if you receive certain benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, or Carer’s Allowance.
As of April 2023, the weekly limits are: £486.98 for couples/lone parents in London, £326.29 for single people in London, £423.46 for couples/lone parents outside London, and £283.71 for single people outside London.
Benefits that count towards the cap include Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), among others. Certain disability and carer benefits are explicitly excluded from the calculation.