BENEFIT caps have been imposed on more than 100 families in Bournemouth and Poole over the last year, new figures show.

The vast majority of families capped had children, with housing charity Shelter warning that across the country households are being "tipped into homelessness".

The latest Department for Work and Pensions figures show that between September 2017 and August this year, 87 families in Bournemouth and 53 in Poole had their housing benefits docked.

The majority of capped claimants were single parents with children. Couples with children accounted for a further 31% of cases in Bournemouth and 25% of cases in Poole.

In London, couples with children are limited to an annual income from all benefits of £23,000, or £442 a week. Outside the capital, the cap is lower, at £20,000.

There are lower rates for single parents and households without children. Some people are exempt from the cap, including those who receive working tax credits, or claim carer's or guardian's allowances.

Over the last year, 16 households in Bournemouth were docked more than £100 a week. In Poole, 22 households were docked more than £50 a week.

Since benefit capping was first introduced in April 2013, 549 households in Bournemouth and 370 in Poole have been subject to the measures.

The chief executive of housing charity Shelter, Polly Neate, said the cap was "cruel and ineffective".

“As these figures show, the brutal benefit cap is continuing to wreak havoc on family life. Too many are battling to put food on the table and pay the rent, while others have been tipped into homelessness.

“Surely we should be helping these families up – not making their lives even harder," she said.

Louisa McGeehan, director of policy at the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “The benefit cap is increasing child poverty by breaking the link between a family’s needs and the support they receive.

"It discriminates particularly against lone parents and their children as they are more likely to be capped and less able to avoid its impact because of their caring responsibilities."

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said 70% of households nationally were no longer subject to caps, and that work remains the best route out of poverty.

Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey said: "Our welfare reforms are supporting more and more people into work – in fact since 2010 we have seen an average of 1,000 more people moving into employment each and every day.

"Under the old system, over 1 million people spent most of a decade trapped on benefits. In stark comparison we now have seen record levels of employment.

"And the benefit cap ensures we have a fairer system – fair for the taxpayer and fair for claimants – as well as a system that incentivises work."