The decision on whether to raise benefits in line with inflation or earnings will be announced in November.
Work and pensions minister Victoria Prentis confirmed the date as Liz Truss faces mounting pressure to raise benefits in line with inflation. Ms Prentis said Work and Pensions Secretary Chloe Smith will consider the latest figures, including average wage figures this week and inflation data next week, before making her decision.
Ms Prentis told Sky News: "She can't do anything until those figures have come and she will then consider how to, if at all, uprate benefits and what figure to choose. She has a very wide discretion to do that. We make a decision and we communicate it usually by the end of November.
