LETTER: Worries over impact of cap

With the benefits cap rolling out across Britain this week, there will undoubtedly be many people worried about the impact this will have on their lives. As recently as April a Turn2us survey found that a staggering 85 per cent of people were concerned about the changes to the welfare benefit system.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Jul 2013, 09:00 BST
Your lettersYour letters
Your letters

While a simplification of the benefits system on the whole is a welcome move, the results from the cap being trialled in four London boroughs make for worrying reading.

Four out of five people affected were lone parents and only 58 of the over 2,000 households did not have dependent children living with them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the Government estimating that the cap will impact 40,000 households, we’re concerned that the most vulnerable are going to be hit even harder.

In addition, the focus on a cap does not solve the main issues which lead to a growing benefit bill, notably a lack of affordable housing, the high costs of housing in London and the South of the country and work that does not pay enough. With the results from the trials hitting lone parents, those in high rent areas and large families hard, the cap may only exacerbate problems.

We urge anyone that is concerned about the cap and how it may affect them to carry out a benefits check on our website – www.Turn2us.org.uk.

Using our Benefits Calculator we can help people find out if they are to be affected or if someone in their household could receive benefits which would make them exempt. We also have regularly updated information on how the cap works and who will be affected.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As the Benefits Cap makes its way across the country we want to be clear that there is help out there. Turn2us has the knowledge and tools to help those in financial need maximise their income and access the support to make sense of these changes. Turn2us helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face-to-face through our partner organisations.

The Turn2us website - www.turn2us.org.uk is designed to help people access the money available to them – through welfare benefits, charitable grants and other help.

Turn2us, part of Elizabeth Finn Care, works in partnership with organisations across the UK, including AdviceUK, Association of Charitable Organisations, Citizens Advice, Child Poverty Action Group, Home-Start UK and Money Advice Trust to develop our services and reach the many millions of people that need our help.

ALISON TAYLOR

Director, Turn2us, Elizabeth Finn Care, Hythe House, 200 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7NL

Related topics:BritainLondonGovernmentCitizens Advice