2026/27 rates · Nothing stored

Universal Credit Calculator

Estimate your monthly Universal Credit award from the standard allowance plus every element you qualify for, then see exactly how earnings reduce it under the 55% taper.

55%

Taper rate

£427–£710

Monthly work allowance

£16,000

Capital limit

4-weekly

Not how UC is paid

Your circumstances

Universal Credit is assessed monthly. All figures below are monthly unless stated.

1. Your household

Are you claiming as a single person or a couple?

Single Couple

Age of the claimant (or the younger partner)

Under 25 25 or over

2. Children

Eldest child born before 6 April 2017?Higher rate (£351.88/month)

Other childrenPaid for every child from 6 April 2026 (£303.94/month each)

Children receiving Disability Living Allowance

Lower rate (£156.11 each)

Higher rate (£487.58 each)

3. Housing

Monthly housing costs (rent) Private renters are capped at the Local Housing Allowance rate for the area and household size. Council and housing association tenants are subject to the bedroom-size criteria, with 14% deducted for one spare bedroom and 25% for two or more.

4. Health, disability and caring

Do you have Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA)?

No Yes (£429.80/month)

Requires a separate Work Capability Assessment. From 6 April 2026, new health-element decisions receive £217.26/month rather than the £429.80 protected rate. Receiving PIP does not award it automatically, but supports your case.

Do you have a carer element?

No Yes (£209.34/month)

You must be caring for someone for at least 35 hours a week and they must receive a qualifying disability benefit.

Monthly childcare costs Reimbursed at 85%. Maximum £1,071.09 a month for one child, £1,836.16 for two or more.

5. Earnings and savings

Your net monthly earnings (after tax and National Insurance)

Household savings and capital Below £6,000 has no effect. Between £6,000 and £16,000, £4.35 a month is deducted for every £250 above £6,000. Above £16,000 you are not eligible for Universal Credit.

What can reduce your award

Non-dependant deductions — £96.55 a month for an adult living with you who is not your partner
Sanctions — reductions for not meeting work-related requirements
Advance repayments and overpayments — recovered from ongoing awards
Third-party deductions — rent or utility arrears paid direct
Benefit cap — applies if you are out of work, unless you or a child receives certain disability benefits

Universal Credit and PIP together. PIP is not means-tested and does not reduce Universal Credit. In fact, an award of PIP can increase your Universal Credit through the disability elements — and PIP backpay is disregarded as capital for 12 months.

The Minimum Income Floor. If you have been self-employed for more than 12 months, Universal Credit treats you as earning at least the National Minimum Wage for your reported hours, even if your actual profit is lower. This can substantially reduce or wipe out an award.

Standard allowances 2026/27

Single under 25	£338.58
Single 25 or over	£424.90
Couple both under 25	£528.34
Couple, one or both 25+	£666.97

Estimated Universal Credit

£0

Estimate only, based on published 2026/27 rates. The DWP calculation depends on details this calculator does not capture, including the assessment period dates, exact LHA rate, non-dependant deductions and any sanctions. Always check your award notice.

How the 55% taper works

Once your earnings rise above your work allowance, Universal Credit is reduced by 55p for every £1 you earn. You keep 45p. There is no upper earnings limit at which UC stops abruptly — it tapers gradually until the award reaches zero.

Work allowances from April 2026 — monthly
Your situation	Monthly allowance
You have a child element or LCW, and no housing element	£710
You have a child element or LCW, and a housing element	£427
No child element and no limited capability for work	No work allowance — taper from the first £1

Universal Credit elements 2026/27

Monthly amounts from April 2026
Element	Monthly	Notes
Standard allowance — single under 25	£338.58	Base award
Standard allowance — single 25 or over	£424.90	Base award
Standard allowance — couple both under 25	£528.34	Base award
Standard allowance — couple, one or both 25+	£666.97	Base award
Child element — eldest child born before 6 April 2017	£351.88	Higher rate
Child element — every other child	£303.94	Paid for all children: the two-child limit was removed on 6 April 2026
Disabled child — lower rate	£164.79	Child on DLA
Disabled child — higher rate	£514.71	Severely disabled child
Limited Capability for Work (LCW)	£158.76	Older claims only
LCWRA — new health decisions from 6 April 2026	£217.26	Frozen at this level until 2029/30
LCWRA — protected rate	£429.80	Existing claimants, severe conditions criteria, or terminally ill
Carer element	£209.34	35+ hours caring a week
Childcare — maximum, one child	£1,071.09	85% of costs reimbursed
Childcare — maximum, two or more children	£1,836.16	85% of costs reimbursed
Non-dependant housing cost contribution	£96.55	Deducted for each adult non-dependant

The amounts used in the calculator for the LCWRA and carer elements reflect the rates applicable to most claimants. Some legacy cases receive slightly different amounts.

Frequently asked questions

How often is Universal Credit paid?

Monthly, in arrears, at the end of each assessment period. This is different from PIP, which is paid every four weeks. The two payments are not synchronised, so it is worth tracking both separately.

Can I get Universal Credit while appealing a PIP decision?

Yes. Universal Credit and PIP are separate benefits with separate assessments. Losing PIP does not automatically end your Universal Credit, and claiming UC does not affect a PIP claim.

Does a PIP backpayment affect my Universal Credit?

No, not for 12 months. Arrears of benefits, including PIP backpay, are disregarded as capital for means-tested benefits for 12 months from the date you receive them. After that, any unspent amount is treated as savings and can reduce your award.

What happened to the two-child limit?

It was removed. From assessment periods beginning on or after 6 April 2026, the child element is paid for every child on your claim. Before that date, a third or subsequent child born on or after 6 April 2017 attracted no child element unless an exception applied. If you were affected by the limit and your claim is still running, the element should have been added automatically — check your statement and query it in your journal if it was not.

I have savings over £16,000. Can I claim?

No. If your household capital exceeds £16,000 you are not eligible for Universal Credit. Between £6,000 and £16,000, each £250 above £6,000 reduces your award by £4.35 a month. Your main home, personal possessions and business assets are disregarded.

Will I need a Work Capability Assessment?

Only if you are claiming a health element. It is a separate assessment from PIP. Being awarded PIP does not automatically entitle you to LCWRA, but Enhanced Daily Living supports your case because the assessment tests similar functionality. Note that the value of the element depends on when your health decision was made — see the elements table above.

Disclaimer. This is an information tool, not advice. Universal Credit calculations depend on details that cannot be captured by a simple calculator, including assessment period dates, your exact Local Housing Allowance rate, non-dependant deductions and any sanctions. Rates are the published 2026/27 figures. Always rely on your official award notice.

Need help understanding a benefits decision?

Our fixed-fee consultation includes a full review of your circumstances across the benefits you are receiving and the ones you may be missing.

Book a consultation — £50