LCWRA stands for Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity. It is the extra monthly amount of Universal Credit for people who cannot work because of a health condition or disability. In 2026/27 it is £429.80 a month at the higher rate and £217.26 a month at the lower rate. Which one you get depends on when you declared your condition, whether it is severe and lifelong, and whether you are nearing the end of your life.
Key points
✓LCWRA adds £429.80 a month (higher rate) or £217.26 a month (lower rate) to your UC in 2026/27
✓With LCWRA you have no work-search or work-preparation requirements
✓LCWRA is decided through a Work Capability Assessment, apart from five situations treated as LCWRA
✓The element usually starts after a 3-month waiting period
✓LCWRA also gives you a work allowance: £427/month (with housing costs) or £710/month (without)
How much is LCWRA a month in 2026/27?
The LCWRA element in 2026/27 is £429.80 a month at the higher (protected) rate, or £217.26 a month at the lower rate. It is paid on top of your standard allowance.
Rate
Monthly amount (2026/27)
Who it applies to
Higher (protected)
£429.80
You declared your condition before 6 April 2026, were already getting LCWRA, had the ESA support group component, have a severe, lifelong condition or are nearing the end of your life
Lower
£217.26
You declared your condition on or after 6 April 2026 and none of the higher-rate groups apply
LCW element
£158.76
Only payable for claims that began before 3 April 2017
The Universal Credit Act 2025 introduced the two LCWRA amounts from 6 April 2026. For the full background, see our Universal Credit changes 2026 guide.
Is LCWRA going up in 2026?
The higher amount rose in April 2026, from £423.27 to £429.80 a month. The lower amount of £217.26 is new from 6 April 2026. Section 3 of the Universal Credit Act 2025 says annual up-rating does not apply to the LCWRA element in the tax years ending 5 April 2026, 5 April 2027, 5 April 2028 and 5 April 2029.
GOV.UK says the changes from 6 April 2026 do not affect you if you are getting LCWRA and have been since before 6 April 2026.
How much is paid for limited capability for work (LCW)?
The LCW element is £158.76 a month in 2026/27, and only people who started their health-related Universal Credit or ESA claim before 3 April 2017 can get it. The assessment that decides between the two is covered in our Work Capability Assessment guide.
Who gets the higher (protected) rate?
You get the higher amount if any of these apply:
✓Yes: You told DWP about your health condition or a disability before 6 April 2026, whatever the date of the LCWRA decision
✓Yes: You were already getting LCWRA before 6 April 2026
✓Yes: You had the support group component of income-related Employment and Support Allowance before 6 April 2026 and continued to get it until you claimed Universal Credit
✓Yes: You have a severe, lifelong health condition or disability, which applies no matter when you claim
✓Yes: You are nearing the end of your life, which also applies no matter when you claim
You get the lower amount only if all of the following apply: you declared a health condition or disability on or after 6 April 2026, you do not have a severe, lifelong health condition, you are not nearing the end of your life, and your partner, if you have one, is not entitled to the higher amount.
If you think you meet the Severe Conditions Criteria but were given the lower amount, you can ask for mandatory reconsideration, which GOV.UK describes as asking for a benefit decision to be looked at again. The difference between the two amounts is £212.54 a month, which is £2,550.48 a year.
Which conditions qualify automatically for LCWRA?
LCWRA is decided through the Work Capability Assessment. Under regulation 40 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 you have LCWRA on the basis of an assessment if, because of your physical or mental condition, at least one descriptor in Schedule 7 applies to you, your capability for work and work-related activity is limited, and it is not reasonable to require you to undertake that activity. The exception is five situations in Schedule 9, where you are treated as having LCWRA without being scored against the descriptors.
Situation
What the regulations say
Terminal illness
You are terminally ill.
Pregnancy
You are pregnant and there is a serious risk of damage to your health or your unborn child's health if you do not refrain from work and work-related activity.
Cancer treatment
You are receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer, are likely to receive it within 6 months after the decision, or are recovering from it, and DWP is satisfied you should be treated as having LCWRA.
Risk to you or others
You have a specific illness, disease or disablement where there would be a substantial risk to the physical or mental health of any person if you were found not to have LCWRA.
Over Pension Credit age
You have reached the qualifying age for Pension Credit and get Attendance Allowance, the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, or the enhanced rate of the daily living component of PIP (or the Scottish equivalents).
A condition that is not in the table can still lead to LCWRA through the assessment under regulation 40, which turns on whether a Schedule 7 descriptor applies because of your physical or mental condition. The Severe Conditions Criteria guide covers lifelong conditions and the higher rate.
These regulations cover England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own Universal Credit regulations, which carry a matching list in Schedule 9.
What LCWRA means for your claim
LCWRA changes more than just the amount you receive:
✓Yes: You can work if you feel able to do so
✓Yes: A work allowance: if you do choose to work, you can earn £427 a month (if your UC includes housing costs) or £710 a month (if it doesn't) before the 55% taper reduces your UC
✗No: No work-related requirements: you do not have to look for work, attend work-focused interviews, or prepare for work
✗No: You do not need to get any new fit notes
It is paid per claim: a couple can only receive one LCWRA element, even if both partners qualify, and if the two elements are different amounts the higher amount is included
If you would also get the carer element, only the LCWRA element may be included for you, unless your partner's LCWRA element is already in the award
When you apply for Universal Credit, or in your Universal Credit account if you already claim, you report your health condition or disability. GOV.UK says you must get a fit note if it affects your capability to work for longer than 7 days, and you must keep getting fit notes until you have been sent a decision about your assessment.
2
Complete the WCA50 questionnaire
If your health condition or disability affects your capability to work for longer than 28 days, you may need a Work Capability Assessment. Before the assessment you complete a 'Capability for Work' (WCA50) health questionnaire, and you can send copies of other medical information with it, such as treatment plans or test results.
3
Attend the assessment
GOV.UK says the assessment can be in person, by video call or on the phone, and you can have someone else with you, for example a friend or support worker. The audio of the assessment is recorded. If you do not want it recorded, contact your health assessment provider using the details in your invitation letter.
4
Get the decision
You are sent a decision that says whether you are fit for work, need to prepare to work in the future but have limited capability for work, have limited capability for work and work-related activity, or have limited capability for work and work-related activity and a severe, lifelong health condition. If you disagree, GOV.UK says you can ask for mandatory reconsideration, and you can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal if you think the decision in the mandatory reconsideration notice is wrong.
5
The element is added
Under regulation 28, an award does not include the LCWRA element until the beginning of the assessment period that follows the assessment period in which the relevant period ends. The relevant period is three months from the first day you provide evidence that you have limited capability for work in line with the Medical Evidence Regulations.
GOV.UK says you might not get a Work Capability Assessment if you earn over £881 a month. The 3-month waiting period does not apply in these cases under regulation 28:
You are terminally ill
You are entitled to an employment and support allowance that includes the support component
You have limited capability for work and it is later decided that you have limited capability for work and work-related activity
A previous award included the LCWRA element and, immediately before the new award, ended because you became or stopped being part of a couple, or it ended within the six months before the new award because the financial condition in section 5(1)(b) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 was not met
LCWRA and PIP are separate. GOV.UK says you will continue getting benefits you already receive, such as PIP, when you claim Universal Credit:
LCWRA is an extra amount of Universal Credit, and the decision about it comes from the Work Capability Assessment
PIP is a separate benefit with a daily living part and a mobility part, and you can get it even if you are working, have savings or are getting most other benefits
When you claim Universal Credit you continue getting PIP
✗No: PIP is not on GOV.UK's list of benefits that reduce your Universal Credit payment
✗No: A PIP award does not on its own give you LCWRA: the only Schedule 9 situation involving PIP is the enhanced rate of the daily living component for someone who has reached the qualifying age for Pension Credit
The higher amount rose in April 2026, from £423.27 to £429.80 a month. The lower amount of £217.26 is new from 6 April 2026. Section 3 of the Universal Credit Act 2025 says annual up-rating does not apply to the LCWRA element in the tax years ending 5 April 2026, 5 April 2027, 5 April 2028 and 5 April 2029.
Does PIP give you LCWRA automatically?
No, with one exception. LCWRA is decided by the Work Capability Assessment, and PIP depends on how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around. The exception is in Schedule 9 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013: if you have reached the qualifying age for Pension Credit and get the enhanced rate of the daily living component of PIP, you are treated as having LCWRA.
How long does it take to get LCWRA?
An award does not include the LCWRA element until the beginning of the assessment period that follows the assessment period in which the relevant period ends. The relevant period is three months from the first day you provide evidence that you have limited capability for work in line with the Medical Evidence Regulations. Regulation 28 lists the cases where this waiting period does not apply.
Can I work while on LCWRA?
Yes. GOV.UK says you can still work if you feel able to, and that if you start working you will not need another assessment unless your health condition changes. You also get a work allowance: in 2026/27 you can earn £427 a month (if your UC includes housing costs) or £710 a month (if it doesn't) before the 55% taper starts reducing your UC.
Do couples get two LCWRA elements?
No. The LCWRA element is paid once per claim, so a couple receives one element even if both partners have limited capability for work and work-related activity. If the two elements are different amounts, the higher amount is included.
Know Your Rights UK. "LCWRA: 2026/27 Rates, Eligibility and How to Get It." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/benefits/universal-credit/lcwra