About 24 million people in the UK receive some form of DWP benefit
Bank notes and coins (Image: PA)
The government has announced that benefit and State Pension rates are due to increase in April of this year, which marks the start of the new financial year. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required to review the level of benefits and State Pensions each year.
Inflation-linked benefits and tax credits are set to rise by 3.8% from April 2026, in line with the annual increase in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate of inflation for September 2025.
Universal Credit standard allowances will receive an additional uplift of 2.3%, under the Universal Credit Act 2025. The basic and new State Pensions will be uprated by 4.8% from April 2026, in line with the annual increase in the Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) index for May–July 2025.
There are nine benefits which the DWP is legally required to increase in line with inflation each April. Other benefits are subject to Parliamentary approval. The benefits that are legally required to rise with inflation are:
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)Disability Living AllowanceAttendance AllowanceIncapacity BenefitSevere Disablement AllowanceIndustrial Injuries BenefitCarer’s AllowanceAdditional State PensionGuardian’s Allowance
About 24 million people in the UK receive some form of DWP benefit including pensions, disability allowances and parenting payments. Figures from February 2025 showed 13.2 million people who are of State Pension age along with 10 million who are of working age.
The DWP has now published its proposed benefit rates for 2026-2027. Here is a complete list so you can see what you should receive when rates rise:
Universal Credit
As Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit for people who are on low incomes or unemployed, the amount you receive is based on your household income, savings and specific circumstances. Universal Credit awards are calculated by working out a claimant’s maximum entitlement.
In 2026/27 Universal Credit standard allowances will increase:
From £316.98 to £338.58 per month for single people aged under 25From £400.14 to £424.90 per month for single people aged 25 and overFrom £497.55 to £528.34 per month for joint claimants both aged under 25From £628.10 to £666.97 per month for joint claimants both aged 25 and over
For those with long-term health issues, the Universal Credit sickness top-up (LCWRA) will go up from £423.27 to £429.80 a month for existing claimants, but down by around half to £217.26 for anyone newly placed in the category after April, in line with changes made in the Universal Credit Act 2025
In November 2025, the UK government announced that from April 2026 it will be removing the two-child limit so that families can receive the child element of Universal Credit for all children regardless of family size.
The new additional amount under the child element of Universal Credit will go from £339 to £351.88 for a first-born child born before April 6 2017, and from £292.81 to £303.94 for any other children.
Pension rates
Under the triple lock, the State Pension typically goes up each April by the highest of: Average wage growth, September’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), or 2.5%. You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension when you reach State Pension age if you are a man born on or after April 6 1951 or a woman born on or after April 6 1953.
If you were born before, these rules do not apply. Instead, you’ll get the basic State Pension. You may also get Additional State Pension. You’ll need ten qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any new State Pension
The full rates for 2026/27 will be:
£241.30 per week for the new State Pension (for those reaching State Pension age on or after April 6 2016) – up from £230.25 in 2025/26.
£184.90 per week for the basic State Pension (the core amount in the old State Pension system) – up from £176.45 in 2025/26.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) & DLA Care ComponentEnhanced/Highest Rate: Rising from £110.40 to £114.60 per weekStandard/Middle Rate: Rising from £73.90 to £76.70 per weekThe lowest rate of DLA care will rise from £29.20 to £30.30 per weekPIP & DLA Mobility ComponentEnhanced/Higher Rate: Rising from £77.05 to £80.00 per weekThe standard/lower rate of mobility will rise from £29.20 to £30.30 per weekAttendance AllowanceHigher Rate: Rising from £110.40 to £114.60 per weekLower Rate: Rising from £73.90 to £76.70 per weekJobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)Over 25s: Rising from £90.50 to £93.95 per weekChild BenefitEldest/Only Child: Rising from £26.05 to £27.05 per weekAdditional Children: Rising from £17.25 to £17.90 per weekEmployment and Support Allowance (ESA)Support Group: Rising from £48.50 to £50.35 per week (this is the additional component amount)The personal allowance for ESA (over 25s) will rise from £90.50 to £93.95 per weekCarer’s AllowanceWeekly Rate: Rising from £83.30 to £86.45Earnings Threshold: The amount a carer can earn while remaining eligible will rise to £204 per week (equivalent to 16 hours at the National Living Wage)