Benefit Cap Will Hit 116,000 Of Poorest Families

More than 116,000 of the poorest households in the UK will be hit by the extended benefit cap, putting many at risk of homelessness. Nearly 320,000 children live in households likely to be affected by the cap introduced from 7 November. In some cases families will lose up to £115 a week, pushing them into deeper poverty. The cap rollout, which will be completed by the end of January 2017, limits total household benefits to £23,000 (£442 a week) in London and £20,000 outside the capital (£385 a week). Unlike the benefit cap introduced in 2013, which mainly hit households in high-rent areas such as London, the extended cap will have an impact on families in all areas of the country. Read more on the Guardian website.