​Single parents have been hit especially hard

Over 13,000 households in Scotland have been hit by the benefit cap, according to new statistics.

Figures from the Department of Work and Pensions show that 12,492 households in Scotland have had their housing benefit capped, 6,247 of which are single parents with dependent children.

This included 2,367 households in Edinburgh, 1,903 households in Glasgow, 850 households in Aberdeen City and 456 in Dundee.

Meanwhile 1,050 households have had their universal credit capped, 580 of these households are single parents with dependent children.

The cap was introduced on the total amount of benefit that working age claimants can receive, with the intention that households on out-of-work benefits should not receive more in benefit than the average weekly wage, after tax and national insurance.

Mhoraig Green, Citizens Advice Scotland social justice spokesperson, said: “The Citizens Advice network in Scotland offers advice and advocacy on behalf of hundreds of thousands of people each year, and our advisers see first-hand the detrimental impacts that the benefit cap can cause people.

“Many CAB clients affected by the benefit cap have struggled to cope with the loss of income and have consequently accrued rent arrears and needed food bank vouchers to get by.

“Others have experienced negative impacts on their health, relationship problems and difficulties finding settled accommodation. The reality is the benefit cap can start a domino effect for people on low incomes in trap them in a vicious cycle of problem effecting their finances and quality of life.

“We are very concerned by today’s figures and we continue to urge the UK government to reconsider this policy in its entirety.”