Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 27 June 2016 to Question HL691, if the Government will publish the information it holds on the proportion of claimants affected by the lower benefit cap who are in receipt of (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) employment and support allowance and (c) income support.

The information is provided in the table below.

Estimated number of households affected by the lower cap levels by benefit receipt, 2016/17, GB

Notes:

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. Estimates assume no behavioural responses - any behavioural responses to the lower cap, such as claimants moving into employment, would cause the number of households affected to reduce.
3. The methodology used to estimate the households affected by the cap is consistent with that described in the latest impact assessment published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/welfare-reform-and-work-act-impact-assessment-for-the-benefit-cap

The benefit cap will be lowered from 7th November from £26,000 to £20,000, except in London where it will be lowered to £23,000. To help ensure Local Authorities are able to protect the most vulnerable Housing Benefit claimants and to support households adjusting to our welfare reforms, the Government will provide £870m funding for Discretionary Housing Payments over the next 5 years. Information about this and other measures to ease the transition for families affected by this policy change is included in the latest impact assessment at the link above.