A group of people are set to benefit from a Universal Credit boost from April. It is estimated around four million Brits receiving the standard rate of the benefit will get an extra £295 every year in line with inflation.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that single people aged 25 or over will see monthly payments rise from £400.14 to £424.90. This £24.76 monthly increase means they will get around £295 extra every year. This annual figure is reportedly set to hit £760 by the end of the decade.
As reported by Birmingham Live, work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden said: “The benefits system we inherited was rigged with the wrong incentives and wrote people off instead of backing them. We are changing this.
“These reforms put more money in the pockets of working people on universal credit, while ensuring those who can work get the support they need to do so.
“By boosting the standard allowance and investing in proper employment support, we’re building a welfare system that rewards work and offers people a route to a better future.”
The Labour government is also planning to invest over £3.5 billion into employment support by the end of the decade. The “Get Britain Working” initiative hopes to tackle economic activity and get more people into jobs.
One Universal Credit claimant said: “My Pathways to Work adviser saw my potential, not my limitations. They found me the right course, and made sure I had everything I needed to succeed. I’m now training to become a Personal Trainer – something I never thought possible. This support has genuinely transformed my future.”
In order to be eligible for the April 2026 Universal Credit boost, you must currently receive the benefit. It requires claimants to be under state pension age, live in the UK and have less than £16,000 in savings.