Government figures say single parents affected most by cap.

Official figures have shown that those due to be most affected by the benefits cap will be single parents bringing up children alone.

The cap, which is set to be rolled out across the country by September, means that couples and single parent families can get no more than £500 a week in welfare payments. The cap was slowly introduced in 2013.

The benefit cap limits the amount of support you can get from the Government and the Mirror has reported that in the two years to May 2015, nearly two in three families affected by the cap were headed by single parents. One in three of these families had five children or more.

The benefits cap was originally set at £26,000, but the Government now plans to slash it to £20,000 outside of London. This means more families are likely to be affected.

The Mirror says: ‘The first thing to know is if you’re working and receiving Working Tax Credits, you won’t be affected. Anyone claiming a Personal Independence Payment or the Employment and Support Allowance for support reasons will also be unaffected. But if you’re claiming another common benefit – like Housing Benefit, Carer’s Allowance or Child Benefit – you could be affected.’

This ‘benefit cap’ affects people in England, Scotland and Wales. It is not yet law in Northern Ireland but may be introduced at a later date.

To find out how you will be affected by the cap, try using this benefits calculator.

CLICK HERE for further information on the benefits cap.