VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Social Security Benefits

Asked by Helen WhatelyConservativeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 5 January 2026UIN 99857

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2025 to UIN 96251, whether his Department plans to make an estimate of the level of change in the number of households exempt from the benefit cap following the Autumn Budget 2025.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

The department does publish quarterly benefit cap statistics about the number of households that have been capped but this does not provide a breakdown of exemptions nor go into an individual exemption breakdown level.

These were last published on 16 December with data until August 2025 and can be found here: Benefit cap: number of households capped to August 2025 - GOV.UK

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim