Overview

• The Welfare Reform Bill has passed both Houses of Parliament and now awaits Royal Assent to become law
• The DWP will complete migration of ESA claimants onto the Universal Credit Health Element by March 2026, mirroring legacy rates for those who move later
• Legislation locks in above-inflation rises to the Universal Credit standard allowance, targeting a cash rate of £725 by 2029/30 for a single adult aged 25 or over
• From April 2026 new Universal Credit applicants will receive a reduced health top-up of £50 per week, with a 13-week safety net and lifelong condition exemptions
• A co-produced review of PIP assessments has been launched alongside the Right to Try Guarantee, but disability charities caution the changes could leave vulnerable claimants worse off