What is the benefits cap?

An estimated 1,500 families in Wales are being affected by changes to the benefits system, which see a cap of £500 per week being imposed here from today.

The UK Government is putting an upper limit on the amount that most working-age people, aged 16 to 64, can receive in benefits.

Four local councils in England introduced the cap on 15 April 2013, and all other council areas in England and Wales are introducing it before 30 September 2013.

Watch: Controversial benefits cap trialled in London

The cap will be:

• £500 per week for couples (with or without children living with them)

• £500 per week for single parents whose children live with them

• £350 per week for single adults who don't have children, or whose children don't live with them

If you are already getting benefits and could be affected by the cap, you should have been contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions.

If you are affected, your housing benefit will go down to make sure the total amount of benefit you receive is not more than the cap level.

Click here to use the government's Benefit Cap Calculator

The cap will apply to the total amount that people in your household get from the following benefits:

• Bereavement Allowance

• Carer's Allowance

• Child Benefit

• Child Tax Credit

• Employment and Support Allowance

• Guardian's Allowance

• Housing Benefit

• Incapacity Benefit

• Income Support

• Jobseeker's Allowance

• Maternity Allowance

• Severe Disablement Allowance

• Widowed Parent's Allowance

You won't be affected if anyone in your household qualifies for Working Tax Credit or gets any of the following benefits:

• Disability Living Allowance

• Personal Independence Payment

• Attendance Allowance

• Industrial Injuries Benefits

• Employment and Support Allowance

• War Widow's or War Widower's Pension