Universal credit benefit cap

The universal credit benefit cap is:

Within Greater London

• £1,284.17 a month if you are a single person (with no children)
• £1,916.67 a month in all other cases

Outside Greater London

• £1,116.67 a month if you are a single person (with no children)
• £1,666.67 a month in all other cases

Benefits that are taken into account when calculating the cap are:

• child benefit;
• employment and support allowance
• jobseeker’s allowance;
• maternity allowance
• widowed  mother's allowance;
• widowed parent's allowance;
• widow's pension; and
• universal credit

The benefit cap will not apply if you, your partner or a dependent child or qualifying young person are getting certain benefits, including attendance allowance, carer's allowance, disability living allowance, personal independence payment or guardian’s allowance. It will not apply if the carer amount or the higher rate of the work capability amount has been included in your universal credit award.

The benefit cap will not apply if your (and your partner's) monthly earnings after tax and national insurance contributions are at or above the ‘earnings exemption threshold’, currently £617.

You may not be capped for nine consecutive months if you were previously working for a year and your earnings (or combined earnings) were at or above the ‘earnings exemption threshold’.