April 2026 payment dates for universal credit, benefits and pensions

Get the free Morning Headlines e mail for information from our reporters internationally

Signal as much as our free Morning Headlines e mail

Signal as much as our free Morning Headlines e mail

April is across the nook, and with it a brand new monetary yr that guarantees to carry plenty of change to households throughout the UK.

Value of dwelling considerations have grown as battle within the Center East out of the blue threatens to hit Britain’s financial system. The state of affairs has severely disrupted the worldwide oil commerce, bringing potential knock-on results to the value of necessities like vitality and meals.

Economists say that the worst impacts will be prevented ought to the battle finish quickly, however uncertainty stays because the change of fireside continues.

In optimistic information for family funds, inflation noticed a steep drop in January to three per cent, marking a ten month low. Some analysts now predict the speed might hit the Financial institution of England’s goal of two per cent by April, which was final seen briefly in 2024.

The downward development means costs are rising much less rapidly, however for a lot of the price of dwelling nonetheless stays too excessive.

Round two-thirds (63 per cent) of Brits say they’ve needed to reduce on the necessities to deal with the price of dwelling, latest evaluation by the Value of Residing Motion group discovered.

In the meantime, 55 per cent of households dwelling in poverty now comprise not less than one working particular person, in line with the Decision Basis suppose tank, which revealed the dimensions of the difficulty.

open picture in gallery

In opposition to this tough financial backdrop, households ought to declare all of the help they’re entitled to. There at the moment are round 24 million individuals within the nation claiming some mixture of Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) administered advantages, which embrace these drawing a state pension, representing round one in three individuals.

But analysis by Coverage in Follow reveals that £24bn value of advantages goes unclaimed yearly – you need to use its useful calculator to work out what you is likely to be entitled to.

Get a free fractional share value as much as £100.Capital in danger.

Phrases and situations apply.

Go to web site

ADVERTISEMENT

Get a free fractional share value as much as £100.Capital in danger.

Phrases and situations apply.

Go to web site

ADVERTISEMENT

Are you combating the DWP or the price of dwelling? Share your story: albert.toth@unbiased.co.uk

Right here is an summary of the monetary help accessible to households this April and key dates for profit and state pension recipients to look out for:

Profit cost dates in April

Profit funds will exit as common in April, besides on two key dates. Anybody due a profit cost on Friday 3 April (Good Friday) or Monday 6 April (Easter Monday), ought to as a substitute obtain this on Thursday 2 April.

This contains:

For extra data on how and when state advantages are paid, go to the federal government’s web site.

The DWP is aiming to finish the migration of all “legacy advantages” to common credit score by the tip of March 2026. These receiving tax credit, revenue help, jobseeker’s allowance, and housing profit ought to have obtained a discover about shifting to common credit score already.

Are you having points with common credit score, PIP, or some other profit? Get in contact through e mail: albert.toth@unbiased.co.uk

Pension cost dates in April

The fundamental state pension is paid straight into financial institution accounts, much like how advantages are paid. It’s normally paid each 4 weeks, with the precise day you obtain it similar to the final two digits of your nationwide insurance coverage (NI) quantity.

Right here’s when try to be paid based mostly on these numbers:

The identical financial institution vacation cost date modifications that apply to most advantages may even apply to state pension funds.

When will profit charges go up?

In April 2026, all common credit score claimants will obtain an above-inflation revenue increase of round 6.2 per cent to the usual allowance. For a single particular person over 25, this will likely be a £6 per week enhance, rising from £92 to £98.

For {couples} with one or each companions over 25, it is going to be a rise of £9 per week, rising from £145 to £154.

Most different advantages must be uprated by September’s inflation price alone, growing by 3.8 per cent. This contains PIP, DLA, attendance allowance, carer’s allowance, ESA and extra.

Nonetheless, on the identical time, the month-to-month cost price for the health-related aspect of common credit score for brand new claimants will likely be reduce from £105 to £50. The speed for present claimants may even be frozen till 2029.

This can be a discount of greater than £200 a month, reducing the extra price by round half. This implies it’s advisable for anybody who thinks they is likely to be eligible to use as quickly as they’ll.

The state pension will rise by 4.8 per cent from subsequent April in step with annual earnings progress, the federal government has confirmed. This can carry the weekly quantity to £241.05.

For extra details about the brand new profit charges, you possibly can learn The Unbiased’s information.

Different assist accessible

Disaster and Resilience Fund

From April, councils will be capable to administer Labour’s new ‘Disaster and Resilience Fund’, designed to help low-income households at instances when affording the necessities turns into a wrestle.

It would change each the family help fund and discretionary housing funds.

Disaster cost

The primary a part of the brand new scheme will likely be a ‘disaster cost’ to to help low-income households which have skilled a monetary shock, or are susceptible to coming into disaster.

Just like the Family Help Fund, councils will proceed to have discretion over the precise eligibility standards. Nonetheless, the federal government’s steerage says it shouldn’t be restricted simply to these in receipt of advantages.

The DWP has requested that councils take a ‘cash-first’ method to the disaster cost, which means money funds must be awarded except there’s a honest purpose not to take action.

Housing cost

A brand new ‘housing cost’ may even be launched throughout the UK, aimed toward offering monetary help in direction of housing prices for these in want.

This can normally be associated to lease, equivalent to needing lease prematurely, a rental deposit, or shortfall. It might additionally cowl a lump sum related to housing, like the price of shifting.

Not like the disaster cost, the housing cost will likely be restricted to these in receipt of sure advantages. These are both housing profit, or common credit score with the housing aspect for rental prices. Nonetheless, DWP says those that don’t qualify however are nonetheless in want may very well be thought-about for a disaster cost as a substitute.

Budgeting advance loans

The federal government affords a “budgeting advance mortgage” for individuals on common credit score who face an emergency lack of cash. The mortgage has a most compensation interval of two years.

These loans are interest-free and are mechanically deducted from common credit score funds. You’ll be able to borrow an ‘advance’ of as much as:

Following Labour’s 2024 Finances, a brand new cap was launched on the quantity the DWP can deduct from profit funds to repay loans and money owed, together with budgeting advance loans.

Starting in April 2025, deductions from common credit score have been capped at 15 per cent of the usual allowance, down from 25 per cent.

Charitable grants

In case you are struggling financially, you could be eligible for sure charitable grants. There’s a variety of grants accessible relying in your circumstances.

Nonetheless, these grants will usually require you to fulfill particular standards and can solely be capable to provide restricted funds.

Charitable grants can be found for people who find themselves disabled or sick, carers, bereaved, unemployed, college students, and for a lot of different causes. The charity Turn2us has a web-based software to seek for grants which can be accessible to some.

open picture in gallery

Power supplier assist

A variety of vitality suppliers provide assist for these combating their vitality payments. These embrace British Fuel, Scottish Energy, EDF, E.ON, OVO and Octopus. It’s value contacting your vitality supplier to search out out if you’re eligible.

Some additionally provide free units like electrical blankets for households with susceptible residents to maintain heat.

Social tariffs for broadband and water

For these combating family prices, social tariffs can be found for each broadband and water payments. This can imply a diminished price for sure eligible households.

For water, each firm working within the UK has a social tariff by legislation. Nonetheless, the quantity on provide can differ between areas and, as a result of water suppliers can’t be chosen like vitality suppliers, the help has been criticised as a “postcode lottery”.

As an example, some provide as a lot as 90 per cent off payments, whereas others cap help at a 20 per cent discount.

To search out out what help your water firm affords, it’s value checking on its web site or contacting the helpline. In all circumstances, households will should be deemed to be on a low revenue and/or in receipt of sure advantages.

Equally, many broadband suppliers provide social tariffs to these on sure advantages like common credit score or pension credit score.

Council tax discount

In case you meet sure standards or are on sure advantages, you might be able to apply for a reduction in your council tax of as much as 100 per cent (that is typically referred to as council tax help).

Your native council should still be capable to give you a discretionary discount when you can show you might be dealing with extreme hardship and might’t afford to pay your council tax.

To use for a council tax discount, contact your native council through the federal government’s web site.

As much as 30 hours of free childcare

From 1 September 2025, all working mother and father within the UK turned entitled to 30 hours of free childcare for kids as much as the age of 4. This concluded a gradual set of expansions that started in April 2024.

Mother and father should apply on-line and reconfirm their eligibility each three months, in time for every faculty time period. Working mother and father also can apply for tax-free childcare, giving again 20p for each 80p you set in direction of childcare, as much as a most of £500 a yr.

Power worth cap: Is it going up?

Ofgem’s vitality worth cap will drop to £1,641 for 1 April to 31 June 2026 – reducing by round seven per cent, or £117. It would stay at £1,758 till 31 March.

The vitality worth cap is the utmost quantity vitality suppliers can cost you for every unit of vitality when you’re on a typical variable tariff. That features most households. It’s expressed as an annual invoice for a median residence.

Many consultants – together with Ofgem itself – are recommending households think about a set tariff vitality deal, with many available on the market providing decrease than the value cap price.

Ofgem will announce its cap for July to September by 27 Might. This may very well be a steep enhance of as a lot as 10 per cent, or £160, enhance because of the state of affairs within the Center East, vitality consultancy Cornwall Perception has warned.

Will there be one other price of dwelling cost in 2026?

The DWP has not introduced any continuation of the price of dwelling cost scheme that ran between 2022 and 2024. The ultimate cost ought to have been made to eligible households between 6 February and 22 February 2024.

Psychological well being help