Around 19.2 million families and 39.8 million individuals across Scotland, England and Wales currently in receipt of State Pension or benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will see their payments go up this month following the annual uprating in April.
State Pension, Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other benefits increased by 10.1 per cent on April 10, but payments due immediately after the rise would have contained a mix of old and new payment rates. This is because most payments are made every four weeks in arrears, however, people paid weekly should have already noticed a significant increase.
DWP letters issued prior to the uprating advised claimants of the new weekly rates and how payments due after April 10 would not be the full, new amount. However, that was almost four weeks ago which means payments due this month should contain the full uprating.
It’s important to note that the change to the benefit cap, which also increased by 10.1 per cent, came into effect on Monday, April 10.
The rise means that it has gone up from £23,000 to £25,323 for families in Greater London and from £20,000 to £22,020 for families nationally. Lower caps for single households without children have gone up from £15,410 to £16,967 in Greater London and from £13,400 to £14,753 nationally.
During the Spring Statement announcement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the annual uprating means that on average, a family on Universal Credit will benefit by around £600 this year.
The DWP has published a full online guide to the increases for State Pensions, benefits and the increased benefit cap on the GOV.UK website here.
Below is a summary of the new payment rates, listed in alphabetical order to make it easier to find the one you are looking for - weekly rates are shown, unless otherwise stated.
Attendance Allowance
- Higher rate: £101.75 (from £92.40)
- Lower rate: £68.10 (from £61.85)
Carer’s Allowance
- April 2023 rate: £76.75 (from £69.70)
Disability Living Allowance / Child Disability Payment
Care Component
- Highest: £101.75 (from £92.40)
- Middle: £68.10 (from £61.85)
- Lowest: £26.90 (from £24.45)
Mobility component
- Higher: £71.00 (from £64.50)
- Lower: £26.90 (from £24.45)
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Under 25: £67.20 (from £61.05)
- 25 or over: £84.80 (from £77.00)
Incapacity Benefit (long-term)
- April 2023 rate: £130.20 (from £118.25)
Income Support
- Under 25: £67.20 (from £61.05)
- 25 or over: £84.80 from (£77.00)
Jobseeker’s Allowance (contributions based)
- Under 25: £67.20 (from £61.05)
- 25 or over: £84.80 (from £77.00)
Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based)
- Under 25: £67.25 (from £61.05)
- 25 or over: £84.80 (from £77.00)
Maternity/Paternity/Shared Parental Allowance
- Standard rate: £172.48 (from £156.66)
Pension Credit
- Single: £201.05 (from £182.60)
- Couple: £306.85 (from £278.70)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) / Adult Disability payment
Daily Living Component
- Enhanced: £101.75 (from £92.40)
- Standard: £68.10 (from £61.85)
Mobility Component
- Enhanced: £71.00 (from £64.50)
- Standard: £26.90 (from £24.45)
State Pension
- Full New State Pension: £203.85 (from £185.15)
- Basic Old State Pension (Category A or B): £156.20 (from £141.85)
Widow’s Pension
- Standard rate: £139.10 (from £126.35)
Universal Credit (Monthly rates shown)
Standard allowance
- Single under 25: £292.11 (from £265.31)
- Single 25 or over: £368.74 (from £334.91)
Couple
- Joint claimants both under 25: £458.51 (from £416.45)
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: £578.82 (from £525.72)
Child Benefit payment rates for 2023/24
There are two Child Benefit rates in place:
- Eldest or only child - £24.00
- Additional children - £15.90
Guardian's Allowance
The new weekly rate for Guardian's Allowance will be £20.40 - an increase of £1.85.
Working Tax Credit rates for 2023/24 (yearly amount shown)
Working Tax Credit is paid to people who are in work and on a low income – it does not matter whether you are an employee or self-employed, and you do not need to have children to get the payment.
Child Tax Credit is paid to people who have children and is paid in addition to Child Benefit and the Scottish Child Payment - you do not have to be working to receive it.
Here are the details of the new payment thresholds and rates for the 2023/24 financial year.
Working Tax Credit income threshold
- 2023/24 rate: £7,455
Basic element
- 2023/24 rate: £2,280
Couples and lone parent element
- 2023/24 rate: £2,340
30-hour element
- 2023/24 rate: £950
Disabled worker element
- 2023/24 rate: £3,685
Severe disability element
- 2023/24 rate: £1,595
Child Tax Credit rates for 2023/24 (yearly amount shown)
Child Tax Credit income threshold
- 2023/24 rate: £18,725
Family element
- 2023/24 rate: £545 (no change from 2022/23)
Child and qualifying young person element
- 2023/24 rate: £3,235
Child disability element
- 2023/24 rate: £3,905
Severely disabled rate of the child disability element
- 2023/24 rate: £1,575
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