Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of households affected by the benefit cap.

One of the core principles of the benefit cap is to encourage work, with an exemption to the cap in place for households who are working and earning at least £881 each month. Households may also be exempt for a period of nine months if they have had earnings at or above the earnings threshold for at least a year.

Entering work remains a key route out of poverty and the Department is driving forward labour market interventions that will deliver a step-change in support to help customers to enter and progress in work, including through our Get Britain Working reforms.

There are exemptions to the cap for those who receive caring or disability benefits, reflecting the impact these have on being able to work and earn enough to meet the work exemption.