From April 2026, most working-age benefits, and other benefits for people below State Pension age, rose by 3.8%, and the State Pension rose by 4.8% under the Triple Lock. This page sets out the 2026/27 rates for the main benefits and statutory payments from official GOV.UK tables.
Key points
✓Most working-age benefits, and other benefits for people below State Pension age, rose by 3.8% from April 2026
✓The State Pension rose by 4.8% in April 2026, to £241.30 a week (new State Pension) and £184.90 a week (basic State Pension)
✓GOV.UK says the standard rate of Universal Credit rose by 6.2%, the first ever permanent, above-inflation increase
✓The two-child limit in Universal Credit ended on 6 April 2026
✓These are the rates for the 2026/27 tax year, which runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027
How much did benefits go up in April 2026?
Most working-age benefits, and other benefits for people below State Pension age, increased by 3.8% in April 2026. The ONS says the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 3.8% in the 12 months to September 2025.
The new State Pension increases each year by whichever is the highest of earnings, prices measured by CPI, or 2.5%. In April 2026 it rose by 4.8%, in line with the increase in average earnings.
The headline: GOV.UK says most working-age benefits rose by 3.8% from April 2026 and the State Pension rose by 4.8%, while the standard rate of Universal Credit rose by 6.2%.
In Northern Ireland, the Department for Communities says rates of social security benefits are generally maintained in parity with Great Britain. Its 2026 regulations require the Universal Credit standard allowance to rise by CPI (3.8% at September 2025) and then by a further 2.3%.
State Pension and Pension Credit 2026/27
Weekly rate
2025/26
2026/27
Change
New State Pension (full)
£230.25
£241.30
+4.8%
Basic State Pension (full)
£176.45
£184.90
+4.8%
Pension Credit, minimum guarantee (single)
£227.10
£238.00
+4.8%
Pension Credit, minimum guarantee (couple)
£346.60
£363.25
+4.8%
The full new State Pension is now £241.30 a week, about £12,547.60 a year.
In Scotland, carers apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer's Allowance, from Social Security Scotland. It pays the same rate, up to £86.45 a week, plus an automatic Scottish Carer Supplement of £11.70 a week on top, which Carer's Allowance elsewhere in the UK does not have.
Universal Credit 2026/27
GOV.UK says the standard rate of Universal Credit rose by 6.2%, the first ever permanent, above-inflation increase. The Universal Credit Act 2025 requires the standard allowance for each tax year from 2026-27 to 2029-30 to be at least the previous year's amount increased by September CPI and then by an uplift, which is 2.3% for 2026-27. These are monthly amounts:
Standard allowance (monthly)
2025/26
2026/27
Single, under 25
£316.98
£338.58
Single, 25 or over
£400.14
£424.90
Joint claimants, both under 25
£497.55
£528.34
Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over
£628.10
£666.97
Two other changes took effect on 6 April 2026. The two-child limit ended, and Universal Credit now pays the extra amount for every child, no matter how many children you have. HM Treasury confirmed on 31 July 2026 that the Budget will be on Wednesday 28 October 2026 (see what the Autumn Budget can change). The health element for Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) is £217.26 a month for a claimant other than a pre-2026 claimant, a severe conditions criteria claimant or a claimant who is terminally ill, and £429.80 a month for those three groups. The Universal Credit Act 2025 freezes the LCWRA element and the LCW element for the tax years ending 5 April 2026 to 5 April 2029. See our Universal Credit changes 2026 guide for more.
Child Benefit, statutory pay and redundancy 2026/27
Payment
2025/26
2026/27
Child Benefit, eldest or only child (weekly)
£26.05
£27.05
Child Benefit, each additional child (weekly)
£17.25
£17.90
Statutory Sick Pay (weekly)
£118.75
£123.25
Statutory Maternity / Paternity Pay, standard (weekly)
£187.18
£194.32
Statutory redundancy, weekly pay cap
£719
£751
Maximum statutory redundancy payment
n/a
£22,530
The benefit cap 2026/27
The benefit cap limits the total a working-age household can receive. The annual amounts for 2026/27 are unchanged from 2025/26:
Household (annual cap)
Greater London
Rest of GB
Couples and lone parents (with children)
£25,323
£22,020
Single, no children
£16,967
£14,753
Sources and how to cite this page
These figures are the rates for the 2026/27 tax year, which runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. Journalists and researchers are welcome to cite or link to this page.
GOV.UK says most working-age benefits, and other benefits for people below State Pension age, increased by 3.8% from April 2026, and that this includes Statutory Payments such as Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory Maternity Pay. The State Pension rose by 4.8% under the Triple Lock, and GOV.UK says the standard rate of Universal Credit rose by 6.2%, the first ever permanent, above-inflation increase.
When was the two-child limit removed?
The two-child limit in Universal Credit ended on 6 April 2026. Universal Credit now pays the extra amount for every child, no matter how many children you have.
Know Your Rights UK. "Benefit Rates 2026/27: What's Going Up and By How Much." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/benefits/benefit-rates-2026