Universal Credit payments rose by 1.7% from April 7 – however, Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears, so most people will not receive their first higher rate until this month
Millions of Universal Credit claimants will see their payments increase from this month as the annual uprating to benefits kick in.
Universal Credit payments rose by 1.7% from April 7 – however, Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears, so most people will not receive their first higher rate until this month.
The higher rates only apply to Universal Credit assessment periods that started on or after April 7. Your assessment period is used to calculate how much Universal Credit you get, based on earnings or deductions in this period.
Universal Credit payments are paid a week after the last date of each assessment period. It means if your last assessment period Universal Credit started on April 7, you will get the higher payments from this week.
Some people would have received their first higher payment at the end of June. Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance which is based on your age and if you’re claiming as a single person, or in a couple.
The standard allowance is the basic amount you get before any additional elements – for example, if you have children or are unable to work due to illness – or any deductions are taken into account. Here is how much the Universal Credit standard allowance has risen by:
- Single under 25: from £311.68 a month to £316.98 a month
- Single 25 or over: from £393.45 a month to £400.14 a month
- Joint claimants both under 25: from £489.23 a month to £497.55 a month
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: from £617.60 a month to £628.10 a month
Universal Credit is replacing six older legacy benefits, including Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit.
Existing claims for Tax Credits, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Housing Benefit have now been closed – but households claiming income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) still need to be moved to Universal Credit.
The aim is for all remaining ESA claimants set to be contacted by September 2025. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) wants everyone moved to Universal Credit by March 2026.
In more DWP news, the benefits department has recently started prompting Universal Credit claimants to confirm if they’ve had a change in circumstances.
If you claim Universal Credit, then it is your responsibility to report any change in circumstances to the DWP. This can include changes at work, if you’ve moved address, or your living arrangements have changed.
If you don’t report a change to Universal Credit, you could receive too much or too little money, which you may need to pay back.