The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that the benefit cap will not start in April 2013, except in four chosen areas and Hounslow is not one of them. Instead the cap will be phased in over the summer with a new completion date of September 2013.
When the cap is introduced benefit will be limited to:
A maximum of £500 per week
If your household is made up of a couple (with or without children), or
If you are a lone parent (and the children you have responsibility for live with you)
A maximum of £350 per week
If you are a single person and:
You have no children
The children you have responsibility for don't live with you
The benefit cap is not the same as the changes to Local Housing Allowance (LHA) which have been taking place since April 2011.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write to you directly regarding the change in your benefit entitlement. You can get more information from the GOV.UK website.
The help line number is 0845 6057064.
Also visit the GOV.UK website for further information and online calculator.