MILLIONS of households on benefits will see their payments rise by at least inflation from April 2026.
From next month, the basic amount of Universal Credit most people receive, known as the standard allowance, will rise by around 6.2%.
Meanwhile, people claiming the state pension will see their payments rise by up to £574.60 next year thanks to the triple lock policy which is currently pegged to a 4.8% earnings growth figure.
All other benefits including PIP, carer’s allowance, and other elements of Universal Credit will rise by 3.8% in line with September’s inflation rate.
To find out how much your benefit payments will rise in 2026 select the benefit you receive in our calculator above and hit submit.
You’ll then be shown the rates you currently receive and what you will start to receive from April 2026.
It’s important to note that in April 2026 the following legacy benefits will also be discontinued meaning no more new claims.
These include income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), income support (IS), and housing benefit for those under the state pension age.
Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) is also being phased out as the final “migration notices” are sent to remaining claimants.
Anyone still needing support will need to apply for either new style jobseeker’s allowance or Universal Credit to ensure their money does not stop.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
