COUNCIL chiefs have set out plans to use discretionary payments to lessen the impact of the Government’s benefits cap.

A study by Bradford Council claims the tighter benefits cap is hitting the income of 850 local families with three or more children.

The Executive is tomorrow expected to agree to divert some of its Discretionary Housing Payments to help these families and get unemployed parents into training or jobs.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe (pictured), the leader of Bradford Council, said: “We want to support these families to get the help they need and if we can also support them into training and paid employment, then so much the better.”

Last year, the cap was cut from £26,000 to £20,000 for couples and families and from £18,200 to £13,400 for single people.