Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on research evaluating the effect of the benefit cap (a) before and (b) after that cap's implementation.

It is right that we conduct research to ensure the public understand the rationale and impact of policies.

The Department spent £271,849 on a suite of commissioned research evaluating the effect of the benefit cap. Reports were published over a period between July 2013 to December 2014. All the spending was after the cap had been implemented.

In addition to the commissioned research, DWP published departmental analysis of the effects of the cap in “Benefit Cap: Analysis of outcomes of capped claimants”, and also publishes quarterly Official Statistics showing details of the capped caseload.

Public polling and focus groups typically form one element of research. Specific cost breakdowns are not available.