Millions on Universal Credit and DWP benefits face delay in getting payment rise

Universal Credit claimants and those who receive benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) may not get their payment boost from April.

Millions on benefits including Universal Credit and state pension face a delay over getting a payment boost from April. Universal Credit claimants and those who receive benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) may not get their payment boost from April.

Benefit payments will rise by 6.7% from April, in line with the consumer price index (CPI) level of inflation for September 2023. But most won't see their payments rise until May because most benefits are paid monthly or twice monthly in arrears, it has been warned as the New Year begins.

If you usually receive your state pension payment on or before the 8th of each month, you won't receive a payment boost until your May payment is due. The date you'll receive the pay boost will depend on when your last assessment period was, the government has confirmed.

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The new Universal Credit rates won't come into effect until the first assessment period which starts on or after April 8. Those whose assessment periods started before April 8 will see the benefits rise in May, under changes outlined by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the Autumn Statement and Budget.

And those whose assessment period started after this date won't see it until June. For Universal Credit claimants, the standard allowance (per month) for those single and aged under 25 will rise from £292.11 to £311.68. For those single and aged 25 or over, the standard allowance will rise from £368.74 to £393.45.

For joint claimants both under 25, the standard allowance will rise from £458.51 to £489.23. For joint claimants where one or both are 25 or over, the standard allowance will rise from £578.82 to £617.6. For extra amounts for children, for those with a first child born before April 6, 2017, the extra amount will go up from £315 to £333.33.

For those with a child born on or after April 6, 2017 or second child and subsequent child, the extra amount will go up from £269.58 to £287.92. For those with a disabled child, the lower rate addition payment will rise from £146.31 to £156.11 and the higher rate from £456.89 to £487.58.