Benefits news
491 stories on benefits, newest first. Every story is dated and cites its sources.
- October 2026
New Housing Benefit earned income disregards due to come into force
The Department for Work and Pensions has laid corrective regulations so that new Housing Benefit earned income disregards for claimants in specified or temporary accommodation take effect as planned on 5 October 2026.
Scottish application window opens for broader group
Scottish households receiving means-tested benefits that do not qualify them automatically for the Warm Home Discount can apply through their energy supplier from October 2026.
Warm Home Discount scheme to reopen in Autumn 2026
Ofgem says the Warm Home Discount will reopen in Autumn 2026, with £150 rebates paid to eligible households in England, Scotland and Wales during the 2026 to 2027 scheme year.
- September 2026
Healthy Start weekly payments rise to £4.65 and £9.30 and application rules updated
Government guidance updated on 24 September 2026 confirms Healthy Start weekly payments of £4.65 per child under four and £9.30 per child under one, with new application and evidence rules.
Funded employment scheme extension added to universal credit reclaims rule
Regulations laid before Parliament insert new paragraphs into the universal credit claims and payments rules from 22 September 2026, extending a funded employment scheme to reclaims.
Winter Fuel Payment 2026 opt-out deadline
The deadline to opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026/27 falls on 20 September 2026, with claims for the payment opening the following day and qualifying week running from 21 to 27 September.
Annual eligibility checks for free school meals begin from the 2026/27 school year
Free school meals eligibility in England will be checked every year from the 2026/27 school year, ahead of the October census, alongside an expansion of eligibility from September 2026.
Crisis and Resilience Fund rolled out across local authorities
The Crisis and Resilience Fund, which replaced the Household Support Fund in April 2026, has now been rolled out across local authorities in England, according to Turn2us.
Free school meal eligibility expanded in England
Free school meals in England are extended from September 2026 to all pupils in households receiving Universal Credit, removing the £7,400 net earnings cap and adding an estimated 500,000 children.
Winter Fuel Payment replaced in Scotland by Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
The Winter Fuel Payment no longer applies in Scotland, where it has been replaced by the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, with rates of up to £316.70 for winter 2026/27.
- August 2026
Deadline to extend Child Benefit for 16 to 19-year-olds in education or training
Parents of 16 to 19-year-olds continuing in approved education or training must extend their Child Benefit claim by 31 August or payments stop automatically, HMRC has said.
Co-chair update on the Timms Review of PIP published
The Department for Work and Pensions and Sir Stephen Timms have published a co-chair update on the progress of the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment, dated 12 August 2026.
Eligibility statement for Warm Home Discount 2026 to 2027 published
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has published the Warm Home Discount eligibility statement for England and Wales for the 2026 to 2027 scheme year, setting out who qualifies.
Free school meals eligibility expands in England to all families on Universal Credit
Free school meals in England are now open to all families on Universal Credit from the start of this term, with government estimates suggesting an extra 500,000 children qualify.
Housing Benefit migration to Universal Credit under way
Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit, with the Department for Work and Pensions sending migration notices that set a deadline to apply, and new claims restricted to pensioners and some supported housing.
- July 2026
Timms Review Interim Report finds PIP no longer fit for purpose
The Timms Review's interim report, published in July 2026, found Personal Independence Payment no longer fit for purpose, and disabled people are now being invited to help shape its final recommendations.
Housing Benefit earned income disregard regulations laid
The government has laid corrective regulations to fix errors in the 2026 Housing Benefit earned income disregard rules, so the higher disregards still take effect from 5 October 2026.
Benefit rates for 2026-27 take effect
Age UK has published the benefit rates in force for 2026-27, covering the State Pension, Pension Credit, disability and carer's payments, bereavement benefits and working-age benefits.
- June 2026
Supporting evidence threshold set to £155.00 per month for July to September 2026
The Accountant in Bankruptcy has set the supporting evidence threshold used in Scottish debt solutions at £155.00 per month for the period from 1 July to 30 September 2026.
New PIP award duration rules extended to existing caseload
The Department for Work and Pensions has extended its changed Personal Independence Payment award durations to the existing caseload from 16 June 2026, alongside statistics showing four million claimants in England and Wales.
Claimants can now object to landlords' requests to recover rent and service charge arrears from UC payments
Universal Credit claimants can now object to a landlord's request to recover rent and service charge arrears from their benefit payment, under guidance updated by the Department for Work and Pensions on 10 June 2026.
Right to try rules come into effect
Rules meaning that trying work or volunteering will not trigger an unplanned review of PIP, universal credit or new style ESA came into effect on 2 June 2026.
Applications open for free school meals for the start of the autumn term
Applications for free school meals open on 1st June 2026 for the autumn term, ahead of an expansion in England from September 2026 that is expected to add around 500,000 eligible children.
- May 2026
New law makes benefit discrimination by private landlords and letting agents illegal
A law in force from 1 May 2026 makes it illegal for private landlords and letting agents in Scotland to refuse tenants because they receive benefits or have children.
Pension Credit claims with Unfulfilled Eligibility rise
The share of Pension Credit claims with Unfulfilled Eligibility rose to 13 in 100 in the financial year ending 2026, from 10 in 100 the year before, a statistically significant increase.
Universal Credit caseload reaches record 8.4 million people
The number of people on Universal Credit reached 8.4 million in May 2026, the highest since the benefit began in 2013 and up from 7.7 million a year earlier.
Warm Home Discount (Scotland) Scheme continued to 31 March 2031
The Warm Home Discount (Scotland) Scheme has been continued to 31 March 2031 under regulations made on 30 April 2026 and in force from 1 May 2026.
- April 2026
Warm Home Discount (Scotland) Regulations 2026 signed and consented
The Warm Home Discount (Scotland) Regulations 2026 were signed on 29 April 2026, continuing the Scottish scheme with a £150 rebate and a scheme period running to 31st March 2031.
HMRC publishes Child Benefit take-up statistics showing record low
HMRC estimates show Child Benefit was claimed for 87% of eligible children in May 2025, the lowest take-up since the statistics began in 2003 and ten points below the 2012 peak.
Benefit rates uprated for 2026
Universal Credit, Pension Credit and most other benefits are uprated on 13 April 2026, while Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction change earlier in April under separate timetables.