Joint briefing: Why scrapping the household benefit cap is vital for families, children and survivors of abuse
Joint briefing from Shelter, Women's Aid and Child Poverty Action Group
A joint briefing from Shelter, Women's Aid and Child Poverty Action Group on the impact of the benefit cap on homelessness, child poverty and survivors of domestic abuse.
123,000 households are affected by the household benefit cap. The vast majority – 71 per cent - are lone parents with children.
The benefit cap limits the total amount a part-time, low-earning or out-of-work household can receive in benefits, trapping families in deep poverty.
It is having a disproportionate impact on survivors of domestic abuse and on children.
The benefit cap makes it almost impossible to afford private rents. Recent research found that there were only enough affordable homes across the country to house one in six capped families.
Increasingly even social housing is becoming unaffordable. In 78 local authority areas in England, average council and/or housing association rents are unaffordable for capped families.
The benefit cap is therefore contributing to homelessness, as families are trapped in refuges and other forms of temporary accommodation and are unable to move on to secure and affordable homes.
The cap is not effective and it is harming those who are already vulnerable. We are calling for the cap to be scrapped.