Overview
- From April 2026, Universal Credit standard allowances rise to £424.90 a month for single claimants aged 25 and over, £338.58 for under‑25s, and £666.97 for couples where at least one partner is 25 or over.
- For most new claims, the LCWRA health element falls to £217.26 a month (about £50 a week) and is frozen until 2029/30, with existing recipients and those meeting severe conditions or end‑of‑life rules kept on higher rates.
- State Pension increases by 4.8% from April 6 while working‑age and disability benefits rise by 3.8%, with the DWP publishing the updated weekly amounts.
- The two‑child benefit cap ends at the start of the new financial year, and Child Benefit rises by 3.8% to £27.05 a week for the eldest child and £17.90 for each additional child.
- Legacy benefit migration completes by March/April 2026 with Income Support and income‑based JSA closing on April 1, HMRC shifts to digital‑by‑default communications, and Winter Fuel Payments are reclaimed via tax from pensioners over the £35,000 income threshold.