Government to Limit Spending On Housing Benefit

The government will set an overall cap on the amount that can be spent on key welfare payments, including housing benefit.  Chancellor George Osborne announced that as part of the 2015/16 spending review a cap will be placed on the total amount the government spends on benefits. He said some ‘cyclical’ benefits would be excluded, along with the state pension, but housing benefit will be included. The government is already introducing benefit caps for individuals, but this announcement applies the principle on a national scale. The cap will be introduced from April 2015, and will be set in the Budget each year based on inflation forecasts. Read more on Inside Housing.