A TOTAL of 528 people in the North-East who have had their benefits capped have moved into work, reduced their housing benefit claim or ended their claim altogether, with 28,000 people in total in the UK.

The benefit cap limits the amount of benefits a household can receive to a maximum of £26,000 a year, the equivalent of a £34,000 a year salary.

The figures come as a record number of people enter work and wages continue to rise.

The number of vacancies has also risen to almost 740,000, providing more opportunities for people to move off benefits and into work.

Under new measures announced earlier this year, the benefit cap will be reduced to £20,000.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, said: "The introduction of the benefit cap put a stop to the days of sky-high benefit claims, and ensures people are better off in work."

Since the cap was introduced in April 2013, around 1,681 North East households have had their benefits capped, but 1,037 of those households are no longer subject to the cap as the occupants move into work or off benefit claims.

To encourage claimants to move into work, households where someone is entitled to working tax credit are exempt from the benefit cap.

All households with someone, including a child, in receipt of a disability-related benefit are also exempt from the benefit cap.