It is your responsibility to report any change in circumstances to the DWP – but from this April, the DWP will begin prompting Universal Credit claimants to confirm whether anything has changed
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is introducing a major change for Universal Credit benefit claimants from this April.
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.
But from this April, the DWP will begin prompting Universal Credit claimants to confirm if they’ve had a change in circumstances. This change was first announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her October Budget, and the rollout has been confirmed by Sir Stephen Timms.
He confirmed in a statement on the UK Parliament website: “As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the department will prompt Universal Credit claimants to confirm whether they have had a change in circumstances that might affect their claim. Any changes in circumstances declared will be processed and verified in the usual way. A roll out of this initiative will commence in April and testing will help determine frequency.”
It comes as Universal Credit is set to rise by 1.7% from this April. Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance, which 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.
You may be subject to deductions if you have savings or if you owe the DWP money. If you work, there is a taper rate which reduces your maximum Universal Credit payment as your earnings increase. The taper rate is 55% which means 55p is deducted from your maximum Universal Credit payment for every £1 you earn. Some people get a “work allowance” which is a set amount you can earn before your Universal Credit is reduced.
For someone who is single and under the age of 25, the standard allowance is rising from £311.68 a month to £316.98 a month. If you’re single and aged 25 or over, the standard allowance is going up from £393.45 a month to £400.14 a month. Joint claimants who are both under 25 will see their standard allowance rise from £489.23 a month to £497.55 a month. If one or both of you are 25 or over, the standard allowance will go up from £617.60 a month to £628.10 a month.