Benefit cap statistics: background information and methodology
Information about benefit cap statistics and methodology including the purpose, source, definitions and limitations of statistics covered.
Updates to this page
- From:
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Published:
- 5 May 2016
- Last updated:
-
22 September 2026
Show all updates
-
Published revised version bringing information up to date. Added information on related policy changes in April 2026. Also added information on change to outcomes at off-flow methodology
-
Additional information added to definitions for on-flow and off-flow. Added details on methodology changes that use updated Output Census Areas for geographies and that only the last 2 years of data are updated with each release. Updated earnings threshold figures to add latest years. Updated contact details.
-
Published a revised version of the background information and methodology. The figures for the earnings exemption threshold and the benefit cap levels have been updated. The information about Housing Benefit disruption in the 'Limitations of the statistics' section has been updated. Information has been added to the 'Data Confidentiality' section. The 'Status of the statistics' section has been updated to reflect that the Universal Credit series in these statistics are now classed as ‘official statistics’. The latest release of benefit cap statistics has been published today 19 September 2023.
-
Updated the section on Universal Credit data (to November 2020) and the section on Housing Benefit disruption, and added a new section on Data cleansing. The latest release of benefit cap statistics has been published today (22 March 2022).
-
Updated the list of definitions and added a new section on the proportion of capped households methodology. The latest release of benefit cap statistics has also published today (22 June 2021).
-
Published a revised version - updated to support the latest release of benefit cap statistics, also published today 26 November 2020.
-
Published a revised version to support the latest release of benefit cap statistics (data on households capped to May 2020). The revised version has new information about the definition and use of geography data in the statistics.
-
Published a revised version (now dated February 2020) to support to latest release of benefit cap statistics (data on households capped to November 2019). The revised version has new information about how data about the number of children is calculated.
-
Published a revised version, now dated August 2019. This has been updated with information about the latest release of benefit cap statistics (data on households capped to May 2019).
-
Published a revised version, now dated May 2019. This has been updated with information about the latest release of benefit cap statistics (data on households capped to February 2019).
-
Published a revised version, now dated November 2018. This has been updated with information about the latest release of benefit cap statistics (data on households capped to August 2018).
-
Published a revised version, now dated August 2018. This has been updated with information about the latest release of benefit cap statistics (data on households capped to May 2018).
-
Published a revised version (dated February 2018), updated with information about the latest release of benefit cap statistics (households capped to November 2017).
-
Revised background information and methodolody document to include information on changes made to the benefit cap policy on 7 November 2016.
-
Published a revised version (dated November 2016), updated with information about the latest release of benefit cap statistics (households capped to August 2016).
-
First published.
-
Documents
Details
The Department for Work and Pensions benefit cap statistics provide statistics on households affected by the benefit cap.