Health Foundation response to DWP benefit cap statistics

Responding to today’s Department for Work and Pensions benefit cap statistics release, Anna Gazzillo, Senior Economist at the Health Foundation said:

‘The current social security system includes policies that increase poverty and fail to adequately support the most vulnerable in our society. Today’s figures show that as of February 2024, 78,000 households are having  their benefits capped, with the vast majority (88%) being households with children.

‘Poverty remains a key issue in the UK: a fifth of the UK population – 14 million people – live in poverty, but it has not been a prominent topic of discussion by any of the leading parties in the current election campaign. Poverty is an indisputable risk to health, placing people under the stress of not being able to make ends meet and unable to afford the basics needed for good health, such as being able to eat or heat homes adequately.

‘Urgent action is needed from the next government to prioritise reform of the social security system, to ensure it supports people out of poverty, contributing to reducing health inequalities. This should include removal of the benefit cap as well as the two-child limit – two policies that push people into poverty and put their health at risk.’

Notes to editors:

• The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released updated statistics on households that have had their benefits capped between 15 April 2013 and February 2024. The DWP estimates that 78,000 households are having their benefits capped as of February 2024.