Many claimants of Universal Credit will start to receive their increased payments from today, May 16.
Universal Credit payments along with many other benefits went up by 10.1 percent with the new rates coming into effect from April 10.
As payments are made in arrears, people will not receive the uprated amounts until this month.
Labour MP Dame Nia Griffith asked employment minister Guy Opperman if the boosted amount “was paid to claimants in their April benefit payment”.
Mr Oppperman said in a written response: “Increases in Universal Credit come into force from the start of the first assessment period
READ MORE: Bitcoin investors say spending £215 now could mean you become millionaire by 2033
“As Universal Credit is a calendar monthly assessed benefit that is paid monthly in arrears, a claimant will receive their uprated benefit award in payments due from May 16.”
How much is Universal Credit increasing?
Below is a full list of the new monthly rates for the different elements of Universal Credit with the 10.1 percent increase applied.
Standard allowance
- Single under 25: £292.11
- Single 25 or over: £368.74
- Joint claimants both under 25: £458.51
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: £578.82.
Child amounts
- First child (born before April 6, 2017): £315.00
- First child (born on or after April 6, 2017)/second child and subsequent child (where an exception or transitional provision applies): £269.58.
Disabled child additions
- Lower rate: £146.31
- Higher rate:£456.89.
Limited capability for work
- Limited capability for work amount: £146.31
- Limited capability for work and work-related activity amount: £390.06.
Carer amount
Childcare costs amount
- Maximum for one child: £646.35 (not changed)
- Maximum for two or more children: £1,108.04 (not changed).
Non-dependants
- Non-dependants’ housing cost contributions: £85.73.
Work allowances
- Higher work allowance (no housing amount) for claimants with one or more dependent children or limited capability for work: £631.00
- Lower work allowance one or more dependent children or limited capability for work: £379.00.
The income boost will be welcomed by claimants as many household bills increased from April.
Energy bills and council tax have gone up as well as water bills, mobile and broadband, while the cost of food continues to increase.
Other benefits that increased 10.1 percent from April include PIP, Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit.
People on certain means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit, have been receiving the first £301 instalment of a £900 cost of living payment in recent weeks.
The payment is going out in three instalments with the second £300 instalment in autumn 2023 and the third payment of £299 in spring 2024.
People on disability benefits are also to get a £150 cost of living payment, which is going out this summer.
The state pension also went up 10.1 percent in the new tax year, including payments for the basic and new state pension.
With the new rates, the full basic state pension is now £156.20 a week while the full new state pension pays £203.85 a week.
A person typically needs 30 years of contributions to get the full basic state pension and 35 years of contributions to get the full new state pension.
Pensioners who receive the Winter Fuel Payment this winter are to get an additional cost of living payment of between £150 and £300, on top of the payment.
An individual can check how much state pension they are on track to receive using the state pension forecast tool on the Government website.
A person can find out how much benefits they can claim using a calculator tool, such as the one on the Turn2us website.
For the latest personal finance news, follow us on Twitter at @ExpressMoney_.
For all the latest Business News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
