TENS of thousands more households, the majority of which include children, have been impacted by the benefit cap, the latest official figures revealed today.

There were a total of 123,000 households across Britain who had their benefits capped as of May, figures showed.

This was up by 61 per cent — 46,000 more households — since the previous quarter.

The Department of Work and Pensions said that this coincided with the annual benefit uprating and the local housing allowance uprating in April.

Of these households, 87 per cent included ones with children.

The benefit cap, introduced in 2013, sees the amount of benefits a household receives reduced to ensure claimants do not receive more than the cap limit.

The current levels stand at £25,323 for couples or households with children in Greater London and £22,020 per year for the rest of Britain.

Action for Children head of policy and research Martha Hampson said: “We must see this government commit to putting an end to both the benefit cap and the two-child limit in its forthcoming child poverty strategy.

“Scrapping both is essential if we’re to make any serious progress on reducing child poverty.”

Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) chief executive Alison Garnham said: “The cruel benefit cap forces far too many children and families to live in deep poverty, compromising their health, wellbeing and futures.

“Most affected families are capped because of factors outside their control such as not being able to work more hours so they can look after young children or they face very high housing costs.

“The government’s child poverty taskforce must remove it before it blights more children’s lives.”

A government spokesperson said it is “taking bold action” to help people “trapped on benefits” and is “committed to supporting low-income families.”