DWP benefits
Below is a list of the main benefits that will increase in April. Most of them increased by around 1.7 percent, with the fact that those for people of retirement age increased by a triple figure of 4.4 percent.
The upper limit of benefits is frozen for 2025/26. This may affect the total amount of compensation you may receive.
Housing allowances were also frozen again.
Many fees are not claimed every year. Use the benefits calculator to find out what other benefits you may be entitled to, for example Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you have a long-term health condition or disability.
Universal credit
- Single under 25: £311.68 per month to £316.98 per month
- Single 25 or over: £393.45 per month to £400.14 per month
- Joint applicants both under 25: £489.23 per month to £497.55 per month
- Joint applicants, one or both over 25: £617.60 per month to £628.10 per month
Some people are entitled to an extra payment on top of the standard allowance – for example, you may get more money if you have children or a long-term illness.
Child element
- First child born before 6 April 2017: £333.33 per month to £339 per month
- First child born on or after 6 April 2017 or second child and subsequent child: £287.92 per month to £292.81 per month
- Lower rate for a disabled child: £156.11 per month to £158.76 per month
- Higher rate for a disabled child: £487.58 per month to £495.87 per month
Limited ability to work
- Limited ability to work: £156.11 per month to £158.76 per month
- Limited ability to work or work activity: £416.19 per month to £423.27 per month
Caregiver element
£198.31 a month to £201.68 a month
Allowance for work
- Higher work allowance (excluding housing allowance): £673 per month to £684 per month
- Lower Work Allowance (with housing allowance): £404 per month to £411 per month
Child care cost element
- Maximum for one child: £1,014.63 per month to £1,031.88 per month
- Maximum for two or more children: £1,739.37 per month to £1,768.94 per month
Allowance for attending classes
Attendance Allowance is a benefit given to people over State Pension age who need help with day-to-day personal care or supervision due to illness or disability.
Lower rate
£72.65 per week to £73.90 per week
Higher rate
£108.55 per week £110.40 per week
Supplement for care
Carer’s Allowance is awarded to people who care for someone for at least 35 hours a week. You do not have to be related to or live with the person you are caring for to claim Carer’s Allowance.
£81.90 per week to £83.30 per week
Child allowance
Child allowance is paid to parents or anyone who is responsible for taking care of the child.
First or eldest child: £25.60 per week to £26.05 per week
Each additional child: £16.95 per week to £17.25 per week
Disability living allowance
Disabled Living Allowance (DLA) is a legacy benefit and has largely been replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for disabled people. You can only apply for DLA if you are under 16 and live in England or Wales. Those living in Scotland can apply for Child Disability Payment.
The rates of the DLA care components will increase as follows:
- Top rate: £108.55 per week to £110.40 per week
- Average rate from £72.65 per week to £73.90 per week
- Lowest rate from £28.70 per week to £29.20 per week
DLA mobility component rates will increase as follows:
- Higher rate: £75.75 per week to £77.05 per week
- Lower rate: £28.70 per week to £29.20 per week
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) helps people who have a disability or health condition that affects how much they can work. It gives them money to help cover living expenses if they can’t work and support to get back into work if they can.
Persons who are employed, self-employed or unemployed can apply.
Prosecutors fall into one of two groups. If they can return to work in the future, they are placed in the work-related activity group. Otherwise, they are placed in a support group.
- For a couple, both under 18 from £71.70 to £72.90
- With a child it will go from £108.30 to £110.15
This increases if they count as a main stage or if one is under 18 and the other over 18, although certain conditions apply.
If they are both over 18, the payment increases from £142.25 to £144.65, and there are special limits for different circumstances where the claimant is 25 or over and has a partner under 18.
Increased disability
- For one person from £20.85 to £21.20
- It goes from £29.75 to £30.25 for a pair
For what is classified as a severe disability that also increases
- For one person from £81.50 to £82.90
- For a pair at a reduced price of £81.50 to £82.90
- For a pair at a higher price which goes from £163 to £165.80
For a single pensioner with a work-related activity component this will increase from £91.70 to £98.50.
For a single pensioner with a support component which will rise from £79.95 to £86.55, and for a single pensioner without a component which will move from £127.65 to £135.05.
Rates for couples of pensionable age with an in-work component range from £154.75 to £165.40 and with a maintenance component from £143 to £153.45.
A couple of pensionable age without the component goes from £190.70 to £201.95.
Components for the Activity Workgroup range from £35.95 to £36.55 and for the Support Group from £47.70 to £48.50.
Compensation for incapacity
Long-term disability benefit goes from £130.20 to £138.90
Compensation for short-term disability (below state pension age)
The lower rate goes from £98.25 to £104.85
And at a higher rate of £116.20 to £124.00
Compensation for short-term disability (above state pension age)
At the lower rate this ranges from £124.90 to £133.25 and at the higher rate from £130.20 to £138.90.
The increase in long-term disability benefit for age at the higher rate increases from £13.80 to £14.70, and at the lower rate from £7.65 to £8.15.
Disability Allowance (Transitional) at the higher rate ranges from £13.80 to £14.70. The middle course ranges from £7.65 to £8.15 and the lower from £7.65 to £8.15.
New claims now go straight to Universal Credit, but many still receive Income Support. It is awarded to working-age singles and couples on no or low incomes, with no more than £16,000 in savings, living in England, Scotland or Wales.
Claimants can work part-time – less than 16 hours a week, and their partner can work less than 24 hours a week)
Personal deductions will increase as follows:
- Single under 25 £67.20 to £71.70
- Single 25 or more from £84.80 to £90.50
- Single parent under 18 £67.20 to £71.70
- Single parent 18 or over £84.80 to £90.50
and for couples
- Both Under 18s £67.20 £71.70
- Both under 18 – higher price £101.50 to £108.30
- One under 18, one under 25 from £67.20 to £71.70
- One under 18, one 25 and over £84.80 to £90.50
- Both 18 or over from £133.30 to £142.25
- Dependent children £77.78 to £83.24
Premiums
Family or single parent £18.53 to £19.15
Pensioners (applies to couples only) £173.55 to £190.70
Disability
For one person from £39.85 to £42.50
and for a pair from £56.80 to £60.60
Increased disability
- For one person from £19.55 to £20.85
- For a disabled child from £30.17 to £32.20
- For a pair from £27.90 to £29.75
Severe disability
- For one person from £76.40 to £81.50
- For a pair at a reduced price of £76.40 to £81.50
- For a pair at a higher price of £152.80 to £163.00
- For a disabled child from £74.69 to £80.01
The amount for a carer will rise from £42.75 to £45.60, and the corresponding amount for strikers from £47 to £50.
A new style of jobseeker’s allowance
Claimants will see their payment rates increase next year. New claims now go directly to Universal Credit, but those already on income-based JSA continue to receive payments until their claim ends.
There is a maximum amount each week – depending on age and circumstances.
For both contributory JSA and income-based JSA, personal rates for under-25 claimants will rise from £71.70 to £72.90. For those aged 25 and over it goes from £90.50 to £92.05.
It’s the same figure for single parents, although the age bracket is 18 – after that it goes to a level of £90.50 to £92.05.
For a couple, both under 18, it is £71.70 to £72.90, or if a higher rate is awarded it goes from £108.30 to £110.15.
Rates differ if partners fall into different age groups – see table below.
The rate for dependent children will rise from £83.24 to £84.66.
Pension credit
Pension Credit supplements your income if you have reached state pension age. It is also known as an access benefit, as it unlocks other benefits such as council tax discounts and free TV licenses for over 75s.
Standard minimum warranty
Single: £218.15 per week to £227.10 per week
Couple: £332.95 per week to £346.60 per week
Additional elements are available if you are a carer, have a disability, look after children or if you have savings and reached State Pension age before April 2016.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with extra living costs if you have both:
- long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- difficulty doing certain daily tasks or moving around because of your condition
There are 2 parts of PIP, a daily part for help with household chores such as washing and dressing and a mobility part – if you need help with getting around.
Unlike some other benefits, you can get PIP even if you work, have savings or receive most other benefits. It is tax-free and does not affect your income or savings.
If you live in Scotland, you can claim Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead of PIP.
If someone is helping to care for you, they may be able to get Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Credit.
A component of daily life
Improved from £108.55 to £110.40
Standard from £72.65 to £73.89
Mobility component
Improved from 75.75 to 77.04
Standard from 28.70 to 29.19
State pension
You claim the new state pension if you are a man born on or after April 6, 1951, or a woman on or after April 6, 1953. You claim the basic state pension if you are a man born before April 6, 1951, or a woman born before April 6, 1953.
- Full New State Pension: £221.20 per week to £230.25 per week
- Full Old Basic State Pension: £169.50 per week to £176.45 per week
Statutory compensation for maternity and maternity allowance
These rates will increase in 2025, in line with the Government’s announcement of benefits in the Autumn Budget.
This will be mirrored for Standard rates of statutory paternity pay, joint parental pay and adoption pay.
Statutory compensation for maternity workit pays 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks and from April will increase from £184.03 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks.
It was paid up to 39 weeks, in the same way as wages -for example monthly or weekly – with deduction of tax and national insurance.
