MILLIONS of people will get a pay rise within days as benefit rates are set to increase.
Universal Credit will rise by 3.1% from Monday giving a much needed boost to payments.
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A family of four could be as much as £370 better off a year as the basic rate of the benefit and extra cash for kids and carers goes up.
Universal Credit is one of several benefits which are increasing 3.1% from April 11.
Anyone getting child benefit, state pension, housing benefit and personal independence payment will also get higher payments.
The exact amount more you’ll get will depend on you circumstances, and the date you’ll get the extra will depend on the date you normally get your monthly payments..
Benefits generally increase each year and is known as the annual uprating.
This is so that payments can keep with the cost of things like food, clothes and fuel which rise over time, called inflation.
But inflation has hit a 30-year high of 5.5% since the benefit rise of 3.1% was announced last year.
And it could rocket further with experts predicting it could ht as high as 8% this month.
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It means that in real terms people are likely to feel worse off as more of their cash is going on essentials like bills and food.
That means it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to.
You can use a benefits calculator to check from charities like Turn2Us and EntitledTo and they are free to use.
There’s also more help you can get with bills and food if you’re struggling -see more below.
Meanwhile, here’s how much Universal Credit rates are rising and the extra you’ll get.
Check your online account for Universal Credit and you should see the new rates applied in your first payment after April 11.
If you’ve had any other change in circumstances that affects how much you get, this will be reflected too.
There’s also a 1.25 percentage point rise in National Insurance contributions from this week and an increase to the minimum wage.
If you’re working and getting Universal Credit both these changes could also affect how much you get too.
How much are Universal Credit payments and what are they rising to in 2022?
How much more you get in total will depend on whether you get the basic amount, or claim more for having kids or housing cost help too, among other things.
You might also get more if you’re entitled to other benefits, for instance carer’s allowance if you’re taking care of someone else.
You might also get less if you’re subject to the benefit cap, which limits the total amount you can get for some people.
Standard allowance
Single and aged under 25
- Now: £257.33
- After: £265.31
- Extra: £7.98 a month, £95.76 a year
Single and aged 25 or over
- Now: £324.84
- After: £334.9
- Extra: £10.07 a month, £120.84 a year
Joint claimants both under 25
- Now: £403.93
- After: £416.45
- Extra: £12.52 a month, £150.24 a year
Joint claimants where one or both are 25 or over
- Now: £509.91
- After: £525.72
- Extra: £15.81 a month, £189.72 a year
First child born before April 6, 2017
- Now: £282.50
- After: £290
- Extra: £7.50 a month, £90 a year
Child born on or after April 6, 2017 or second child and subsequent child
- Now: £237.08
- After: £244.58
- Extra: £7.50 a month, £90 a year
Disabled child lower rate addition payment
- Now: £128.89
- After: £132.89
- Extra: £4 a month, £48 a year
Disabled child higher rate
- Now: £402.41
- After: £414.88
- Extra: £12.47 a month, £149.64 a year
Limited capability for work
- Now: £128.89
- After: £132.89
- Extra: £4 a month, £48 a year
Limited capability for work or work-related activity
- Now: £343.63
- After: £354.28
- Extra: £10.65 a month, £127.80 a year
Universal Credit claimants can get an additional amount if you’re caring for a severely disabled person for at least 35 hours a week.
- Now: £163.73
- After: £168.81
- Extra: £5.08 a month, £60.96 a year
Work allowance
The work allowance rates have already risen from November 24 last year and will rise again from April 2022 onwards.
It’s the amount some people can earn, before the taper rate applies, which reduces the UC payment you get the more you earn.
The higher work allowance (no housing amount) for someone claiming Universal Credit with one or more dependent children or limited capability for work up from £557 to £573.
The lower work allowance for someone claiming Universal Credit with one or more dependent children or limited capability for work is going up from £335 to £344.
Extra help you can get with bills and food
There’s extra help you can get if you’re struggling to get by.
Energy, fuel and council tax bills are among the essential costs that have gone up, piling pressure on household budgets.
If you’re worried about falling behind on bills. there are plenty of organisations where you can get advice for free, including:
A new £500m pot of cash is being made available for anyone struggling with bills, including if you’re on Universal Credit.
The government first launched the Household Support Fund last winter and has now extended the scheme.
Local councils are dishing out the cash and what you can get and how much it’s worth varies.
For instance, thousands of families were able to claim up to £275 free supermarket vouchers for food and essentials including from Tesco and Asda, in North Yorkshire.
And in Birmingham residents were able to get up to £200 cash, and residents of West Northamptonshire were offered help with their energy bills worth up to £120.
The amount you can get will depend on where you are, and your circumstances.
You can find your local council using this tool and searching you postcode, to see what you can get where you are.
Here’s all the help you can get with energy bills if you’re struggling, including cash grants and prepayment vouchers.
You might get £150 council tax rebate to help with the cost of living – check if you’re eligible and other help you can get with your council tax bill.
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