A number of government benefits will increase by 6.7% over the coming days, and families could be anywhere from £83 to £470 better off a year. The rise to benefits – including Universal Credit and Child Benefit –was announced by the government in last year’s Autumn Statement.From how much you’ll now get for each benefit, to when exactly you’ll notice the difference in your bank account, here’s everything households need to know about the rise in benefit payments.
The government takes this figure – which at the time was 6.7% – as a guide for how much most means-tested benefits should rise by.This is due to the triple-lock guarantee – a commitment made by the government to ensure that the State Pension rises each year by whichever is the highest of three figures: 2.5%, wages for the previous May to July , or September’s rate of inflation .
So, while your benefit will rise today, you’ll actually start to notice the difference from Monday 8 April, or whenever your next benefit payment is due after this date. New benefit rates The amount you’ll get from today, depends on which benefit you claim, whether you claim more than one, and your own personal circumstances if claiming Universal Credit, for example.Universal Credit Over six million people currently claim this benefit, with more to come.
Parents with two children will be paid £169 every four weeks from April – a rise from the £159.60 they’re paid every four weeks currently.There is no limit to how many children a parent or guardian can claim Child Benefit for.