Millions of people in the UK will see an increase in their
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits starting
April 7, 2024. While the rise aims to help with the increasing cost of living, many recipients may experience delays in receiving the new rates due to how payments are structured.
State Pension and Disability Benefit Increases
State Pension recipients will receive a
4.1% increase in their payments. Those who receive their pension weekly or fortnightly will notice the rise sooner, while others, who are paid in arrears, may not see the new rates reflected until later in the month.
For people receiving
working-age and disability benefits, the increase will be
1.7%. This applies to payments such as Employment and Support Allowance
(ESA), Personal Independence Payment
(PIP), and Disability Living Allowance
(DLA).
In Scotland, devolved benefits—including
Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment—will also rise by
1.7%. Key Benefit Increases:
- Attendance Allowance
- Higher rate: £110.40 (up from £108.55)
- Lower rate: £73.90 (up from £72.65)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA) / Child Disability Payment
- Care Component
- Highest: £110.40 (up from £108.55)
- Middle: £73.90 (up from £72.65)
- Lowest: £29.20 (up from £28.70)
- Mobility Component
- Higher: £77.05 (up from £75.75)
- Lower: £29.20 (up from £28.70)
- Carer’s Allowance
- New rate: £83.30 (up from £81.90)
- Weekly earnings threshold: £196.00 (up from £151.00)
Universal Credit and other benefits
Universal Credit operates differently from other benefits, with
monthly assessment periods determining when the increased payment takes effect. Many claimants will not see the uplift until their
May 2024 payment cycle.
The
Universal Credit monthly rates will see an increase starting in April. For
single claimants, those under
25 will receive
£316.98 (up from
£311.63), while those
25 or over will see their payments rise to
£400.14 (up from
£393.45).
For
joint claimants, couples where both individuals are under
25 will now receive
£497.55 (up from
£489.23), whereas if one or both partners are
25 or over, their payment will increase to
£628.10 (up from
£617.60).
Other benefits also affected by the
1.7% increase include
Income Support, where payments for individuals under
25 will rise to
£72.90 (up from
£71.70), and for those
25 or over, it will increase to
£92.05 (up from
£90.50).
Couples where both partners are over
18 will now receive
£144.65 (up from
£142.25). Similarly,
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) will also increase, with claimants under
25 receiving
£72.90 (up from
£71.70) and those
25 or over getting
£92.05 (up from
£90.50).
Additionally,
Maternity Allowance will rise to
£187.18 per week (up from
£184.03).
Pension Credit and Incapacity Benefits
The
Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee will increase, providing additional support for low-income pensioners. *
Single claimants will see their payments rise to
£227.10, up from
£218.15, while
couples will receive
£346.60, compared to the previous
£332.95.
For those who qualify for the
Additional Amount for Severe Disability, the new rates will be
£82.90 for single claimants (previously
£81.50),
£82.90 for couples where only one partner qualifies (
up from £81.50), and
£165.75 for couples where both partners qualify (
up from £163.00).
Long-term Incapacity Benefit will increase to
£141.25 (up from
£138.90), while short-term rates will also see an increase, depending on age and category.
HMRC Payment Adjustments
The
Child Benefit rate will also increase from April, with weekly payments rising to
£26.05 for the eldest or only child (
up from £25.60) and
£17.25 for additional children (
up from £16.95). At the same time,
Guardian’s Allowance will increase to
£22.10 per week (
up from £21.75).
Meanwhile,
Tax Credits will end on
April 5, 2025, meaning there will be no further changes to those payments.
Potential Delays in Payments
Many
DWP benefit payments are made
four weeks in arrears, meaning that most recipients will not immediately see the increase in their next scheduled payment. Instead, the new rates will be reflected in the following pay period.
For
Universal Credit claimants, assessment periods vary, so payments with the increased rate may not arrive until
May 2024.
Where to Find Full Payment Details
A complete breakdown of the
2024/25 benefit rates, including additional payments, benefit caps, and deduction rates, is available on
GOV.UK. The
Daily Record reports that The
DWP has published detailed information on how the changes affect different benefit categories.
For those concerned about their payments, checking their
next scheduled payment date and referring to official
DWP guidance can help clarify when they can expect to receive the increased amount.
