Universal Credit 2026 Increase Comes With a Quiet Cut for Sick and Disabled Claimants

New sick and disabled claimants will receive a much lower health payment, with the amount nearly halved and frozen until 2029. (Credit: Carlos Ramón Bonilla Mirand/Pixabay)

The UK government has confirmed that Universal Credit payments are set to rise above inflation from April 2026, with ministers confirming an increase to the standard allowance as part of a wider reshaping of the welfare system.

The uplift will raise baseline support for millions of households over the remainder of the decade, a move the government says is designed to strengthen the safety net and make the system more sustainable.