The UK government has introduced a 6.2% increase in Universal Credit payments from April 2026, exceeding this year\u2019s state pension rise. The change affects millions of claimants and forms part of a broader reform of the welfare system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, the state pension will increase by 4.8%, creating a noticeable gap between working-age benefits and pension income growth. The policy shift reflects a rebalancing of support within the benefits system, with varying impacts across different groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 6.2% increase to Universal Credit <\/a>represents one of the largest recent adjustments to the benefit. According to government figures reported by multiple outlets, around 7.5 million people across the UK receive Universal Credit<\/strong>, including those using it to supplement low wages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rise includes an additional uplift beyond inflation, bringing the standard allowance for a single claimant from \u00a3400.14 to \u00a3424.90 <\/strong>per month, while couples see payments increase from \u00a3628.10 to \u00a3666.97<\/strong>. According to reports, this above-inflation increase is part of legislation designed to raise the baseline allowance over several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside the increase, structural reforms have been introduced. The two-child limit on the child element has been removed, which is expected to increase payments for larger families. This change has been described by advocacy groups as a significant shift for households previously affected by the cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, other elements of Universal Credit have been reduced. Payments <\/a>for those assessed as having limited capability for work-related activity have been cut for new claimants, falling from around \u00a3432 per month to approximately \u00a3217. According to official explanations referenced in the sources, these reduced rates will remain frozen until 2029<\/strong>, while existing claimants are protected at current levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n