Councils' Discretionary Payment Spend On Benefit Cap Doubles

Data released by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reveals that councils spent £29.7m of DHP money assisting people affected by the benefit cap in 2016/17, compared with £14.1m in 2015/16. From November last year, the benefit cap was reduced from £26,000 to £23,000 in London and £20,000 elsewhere. A survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed the lower benefit cap was pushing people out of the private rented sector and a number of housing associations have said they are less likely to let to people hit by the lower benefit cap. Read more on Inside Housing.