The benefit cap went live on the 15 April 2013 in Bromley, Croydon, Enfield and Haringey local authority areas, as planned.

National rollout of the benefit cap will take place in remaining local authorities from 15 July 2013. So all households identified as being appropriate to be capped will, in line with existing plans, have been capped by the end of September 2013.

We are working jointly with the four local authorities to learn any lessons which will be applied to national rollout. In the longer term DWP has committed to a formal published evaluation and as such there will be independently verified analysis in due course (due to be published Autumn 2014).

The priority for DWP remains to support households into work and towards a stable and sustainable working lifestyle. We are working intensively with them, explaining and identifying the support available locally to help them look for work and how they can look at other options if appropriate.

To help those affected there will be employment support offered by Jobcentre Plus, the Work Programme and the Work Choice programme as appropriate.

The benefit cap project team and Jobcentre Plus are working with Local Authority colleagues to ensure that households likely to be impacted are able to access a wide range of support. This includes: help to move closer, or into the labour market, money and budgetary advice, housing options advice, support to negotiate rent reductions with private landlords and access to childcare provision.

The cap will be applied through Universal Credit once claimants make new claims or are migrated to that benefit from October 2013.