Put a cap on it!
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:32 pm
More than 12,000 people have moved into work after being told about the benefits cap, the government says.
The cap, on the total amount of benefits that non-working people aged 16 to 64 can receive, has begun rolling out across England, Scotland and Wales.
Couples and lone parents will now not receive more than £500 ($755 us) a week, while a £350 ($528 us) limit applies to single people.
But critics say the changes will hit parts of the country unfairly, and will not tackle underlying problems.
Those in work who also claim benefits, are not affected by the cap.
"What the job centre staff have told us is that they've seen a genuine increase [in people looking for work] since they've alerted people that they're likely to be in the cap," said the Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who has spearheaded these changes.
He argues the current level of benefit discourages people from looking for work.
"We will always be there to support those who need help but the days of blank cheque benefits are over," he said.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said that 12,000 claimants had found jobs over the last year, after being contacted by job centres.
The job centres warned them they might have their benefits capped if they did not find employment.
