Heads Up - a new online benefit CAP calculator

Richie-from-the-Boro

The benefit cap is supposed to come into effect in April '13 and will limit the amount of benefit couples and lone parent households can receive to around £500 a week or £26,000 a year – the equivalent of the average household earnings after tax or a gross household salary of £35,000. Benefit claims for single people will be limited to around £350.

As far as I'm aware there has been no legislation / regulation to set the actual amounts of the cap in law [ anyone know better - please tell me] so I'm not sure how accurate the calculator is at present, I assume its using the published figures above.

As a result of the answer given by Chris Grayling on the 24th May [see the blue bit below] the calculator is now online here

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24 May 2012 : Column 803W

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will take steps to send benefit claimants a simple printed summary of their benefit entitlements, indicating how much they would lose as a result of the benefit cap; and if he will make a statement. [109217]

Chris Grayling: There are no plans to write to claimants with information about the possible financial impact for the household as their circumstances could change before the cap is implemented in April 2013.

An online calculator will shortly be made available for claimants to use to assess the potential impact of the cap, based on their current circumstances. Claimants will need to have details of their benefit award available to use the calculator effectively.

Details of benefit award are notified to a claimant when their claim is made and/or there has been a change in circumstances or rates. Claimants can also contact the Benefit Delivery Centre to obtain full details should they require them.
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- I for one hope they sort it out out ASP
- you must answer every question in a Yes / or / No way
- you have to do the weekly [x52] to annual conversion.
- you must put a zero in empty amount box's and not leave them blank
- I can't find anywhere to print the results to paper / pdf / or / file

Overall its a start [warts & all] but it will help many many people get an instant online basic answer :

- whether they will lose anything at all as a result of the benefit cap
- how much, if any they would lose as a result of the benefit cap

Parva

The online calculator linked to comes up in either Welsh or Klingon, haven't worked out which yet.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Parva wrote: »

The online calculator linked to comes up in either Welsh or Klingon, haven't worked out which yet.

- bog standard English @my end my friend, it must be your end / browser / ?
- and the helpline numbers are all @ premium rate including the Welsh & the Klingon Galactic Traveller Exchange

0845 605 7064 - English
0845 605 7066 - Welsh
0845 608 8551 - textphone

Take care and watch out for the Denebian slime devil coming over the horizon [ghangwI']

Anubis_2

Comes up in another language for me - possibly Welsh...

Best to start the calculator from the link here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/BeginnersGuideToBenefits/DG_201734


Gallwch ddefnyddio'r cyfrifiannell hwn i wneud y canlynol:

cael amcangyfrif o faint y gallai eich Budd-dal Tai ostwng os byddwch dros lefel y cap ar fudd-daliadau
argraffu'r canlyniadau

Ni chaiff y wybodaeth a gofnodwch ei storio a dim ond ychydig funudau y bydd yn cymryd i'w gwblhau.