A scheduled benefits uplift first introduced in April will finally reach thousands of Universal Credit claimants across the UK this week. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that the 1.7% increase, tied to last September’s inflation rate, is only now taking effect for many due to how monthly assessments are calculated.
The adjustment was announced as part of routine annual changes to welfare payments and applied from 7 April. Yet, because Universal Credit operates on a rolling basis with staggered assessment windows, not all claimants saw the increase in their May payments. Instead, some will begin receiving higher amounts from early June, depending on their specific assessment dates.
Backdated Increase Linked to April Reforms
According to the DWP, the benefit increase reflects the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate of 1.7% recorded in September 2024, which sets the benchmark for welfare adjustments in the following April. While the updated rates technically came into force on 7 April, their impact on payments depends on each claimant’s individual assessment period.
Universal Credit operates on a four-week cycle, with benefits calculated and paid based on previous assessments. This means that those whose assessment periods began before 7 April received May payments calculated using the old rates. Consequently, they are only now seeing the adjusted amount included in their June disbursements.
For example, a claimant whose period ran from 28 March to 27 April would receive the uplift in their 1 June payment. Similarly, someone assessed from 30 March to 29 April would see the increase reflected in their 5 June payment. The rollout continues in this manner until 12 June, which will include the uplift for those with assessment windows ending 5 May.
Payment Dates Depend on Claimants’ Assessment Periods
The DWP has outlined a clear schedule for when recipients can expect to see the updated amounts in their accounts. Each payment date in June corresponds with a unique assessment period that overlapped the April reform window.
A person assessed between 1 and 30 April will receive the increase on 7 June, while another with an assessment from 6 April to 5 May will see the rise in their 12 June payment. This staggered approach, while in line with Universal Credit’s design, has caused confusion among some claimants who were unaware of the assessment-based delay.
According to DWP statements, the variation is not an error but a procedural outcome of the monthly calculation system. The department has advised recipients to check their Universal Credit journals or contact their work coach for clarification on their individual timeline.
