News & Features
Government Announces Universal Credit Changes Set for April 2026
Posted in General News on Friday, October 17th, 2025
The government has announced significant changes to Universal Credit, due to come into effect from April 2026. These changes follow the introduction of the new Universal Credit Act 2025 and will affect everyone who receives Universal Credit.
What’s changing?
From April 2026, the amount of Universal Credit you receive will change. This is because the ‘standard allowance’ the basic amount that everyone on Universal Credit gets, is increasing.
Changes to the LCWRA Component
If you receive an extra payment because you have a long-term health condition or a disability, known as the ‘limited capability for work-related activity’ (LCWRA) element, you may also be affected.
At the moment, the LCWRA element is worth £423.27 per month. However, for most people who start receiving LCWRA on or after 6 April 2026, this amount will decrease to £217.26 per month.
If you already receive the LCWRA element, your payment will not go down because of these changes. You’ll continue to get the current, higher rate.
What if you’re thinking of applying for LCWRA?
If you’re considering applying for the LCWRA element, it’s important to do so as soon as possible. Anyone who begins receiving LCWRA before 6 April 2026 will continue to receive the current higher rate.
These changes only apply to Universal Credit.
If you receive other benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), they won’t be affected by the Universal Credit Act 2025.
The New Standard Allowance Rates
The standard allowance for Universal Credit will increase for everyone in April 2026. The exact figures haven’t yet been confirmed. the government is expected to publish them in late 2025. More information on the changes to Universal Credit can be found here commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10358.
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Trevor Kettleboro
Wednesday, October, 22nd, 2025
We are really struggling with money at the moment and we both have a spinal cord injury. And it seems yet again we are an easy target. They should try living on the benefits themselves. They don't have money problems. They should pick on the ones who can afford it. Fix my spine and I will go to work tomorrow. We have a mobility car and it's getting harder to put fuel in the tank. My kids live 3 hours away. So I am missing seeing our kids and our grandchildren. This is so cruel and wrong and no wonder we are a third world country. It's time to look after people who can't work due to disabilitys. It's also the elderly they pick on. We was told Labour would treat us better than the conservatives and that's a lie. We can not trust anyone in parliament for their help and we are never listened to and this needs to change. I thought this country was better than this.
Patrick Dulson
Thursday, October, 23rd, 2025
Yet again this LABOUR Government choose to kick the most vunerable people in society. If the could only bring themselves to concentrate on the tax affairs of the rich and famous with their tax evasion schemes thought up by tax consultants then we would probably be in a profit position rather than the present loss amounting to many billions.