Benefits news: page 6
- June 2025
DWP to reassess Carer's Allowance overpayment cases after review found it acted unfairly
The DWP will reassess Carer's Allowance overpayments made between April 2015 and September 2025, after an independent review found it acted unfairly, with debts reduced, cancelled or refunded.
UK government announces Free School Meals expansion to all children on Universal Credit in England
The UK government has announced that from September 2026 all children in families receiving Universal Credit in England will qualify for Free School Meals, ending the current earnings test.
Government concedes PIP scoring change will not apply to existing claimants
The Government has kept its plan to tighten Personal Independence Payment eligibility scoring but confirmed the change will not apply to existing claimants, avoiding average losses of £4,500 a year for 370,000 people.
JRF publishes analysis of proposed health-related benefit cuts
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation says proposed health-related benefit cuts would cut income for 350,000 households by more than 30% while too few jobs exist to offset the losses.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment to become universal from winter 2025/2026
The Scottish Government has laid amendment regulations making the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment universal for all pensioner households from winter 2025/2026, with payments of £100 for those not on relevant benefits.
- May 2025
DWP confirms no more Cost of Living Payments planned
The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed it is not planning any further Cost of Living Payments, closing a series that ran from 2022 to 2024.
Transitional protection deadline passed for tax credit claimants
The deadline to claim transitional protection has passed for tax credit claimants invited to move to Universal Credit, with tax credits having ended on 5 April.
Committee writes to Secretary of State calling for pause of UC health and PIP reforms
The Work and Pensions Committee has called for a pause to planned cuts to the health component of Universal Credit, warning that around 50,000 people could enter poverty by 2030.
entitledto publishes 2025/26 review of English Council Tax Reduction schemes
entitledto's annual review of English Council Tax Reduction schemes finds 62 of 296 councils changed their calculations for 2025/26, with cuts to maximum support outnumbering increases.
Maternity pay flat rate falls to less than half the National Living Wage
Maternity Action's 2025 report finds the flat rate of Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance was 44% of the National Living Wage in April 2025, down from 63% of the minimum wage in 2012.
- April 2025
Resolution Foundation publishes report on Universal Credit capital rules
The Resolution Foundation has published a report arguing that Universal Credit capital rules, frozen since 2006, should be indexed from April 2026 and that Help to Save and Lifetime ISA savings should be disregarded.
Pension Age Disability Payment became available nationally in Scotland
Pension Age Disability Payment replaced Attendance Allowance across Scotland from 22 April 2025, with official figures later showing 186,390 people receiving it as of 31 July 2026.
Carer's Allowance in Scotland being replaced by Carer Support Payment
Carer's Allowance is being replaced in Scotland by Carer Support Payment, a weekly payment of £86.45 for people caring at least 35 hours a week, with extra Scottish support paid alongside it.
Scottish assistance payment amounts increase from 1 April 2025
Scottish Ministers have uprated a range of devolved social security payments, with most new amounts taking effect from 1 April 2025 and some disability payments changing from 7 April 2025.
New benefit rates take effect from 6 April 2025
Statutory Sick Pay rises to up to £118.75 a week and disability and health related benefits change rates from 6 April 2025, with PIP paying between £29.20 and £187.45 a week.
Child benefit rates rise by 1.7% for 2025-26
Child benefit rose to £26.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.25 for each additional child from 6 April 2025, a 1.7% increase, as HMRC figures show claims at their lowest since 2003.
Help to Save eligibility expanded for Universal Credit claimants
From 6 April 2025, Universal Credit claimants earning £1 or more in their assessment period can open a Help to Save account, replacing the previous 16 hours a week earnings test.
Tax credit migration amendments take effect from 6th April 2025
Amendments to Northern Ireland's Universal Credit transitional provisions took effect on 6 April 2025, substituting regulation 4A and barring new tax credit claims for the tax year beginning on that date.
Universal credit earned income condition substituted
The rules governing who qualifies for a Help to Save account on Universal Credit were changed from 6 April 2025, substituting the earned income condition in the 2018 regulations.
Universal Credit standard allowance rates rise in April 2025
The Universal Credit standard allowance rose in April 2025, with the single rate for someone aged 25 or over reaching £400.14 a month and the couple rate £628.10.
April 2025 tax, benefit and bill changes take effect
Freezing of personal tax thresholds, a higher employer National Insurance rate, Council Tax and water bill rises, a £111 energy price cap increase and 1.7 per cent benefit uprating all took effect in April 2025.
Benefit and pension rates increased from April 2025
Benefit and pension rates rose in April 2025, lifting Universal Credit standard allowances and extra elements, as official figures later showed 8.3 million people on Universal Credit by February 2026.
Benefit and pension rates uprated for 2025/26
Proposed benefit and pension rates for 2025/26 have been published, uprating most working-age and disability benefits and pensions while leaving the benefit cap unchanged.
Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit to rise from £151 to £196
The weekly earnings limit for Carer's Allowance rises from £151 to £196 in April 2025, set at the amount earned by 16 hours at the National Living Wage, and will track future wage increases.
Carer Support Payment replaces Carer's Allowance in Scotland
Carer's Allowance has been replaced in Scotland by Carer Support Payment, with existing claimants moved across automatically and new claimants told to apply for the Scottish payment instead.
Council Tax Reduction Scheme automation improvement takes effect in Wales
From April 2025 councils in Wales can use Universal Credit data to automate applications for Council Tax support, the Welsh Government has confirmed in a consultation on Council Tax administration.
Debt Rescue Scheme testing begins and Universal Credit data used for Council Tax reduction
The Welsh Government is testing a Debt Rescue Scheme in three areas and using Universal Credit data to help reduce Council Tax bills from April 2025.
DWP to check all Carer's Allowance overpayment alerts
From April 2025 the Department for Work and Pensions will check every Carer's Allowance overpayment alert it receives and investigate past overpayments, after years in which not all cases were reviewed.
DWP to recruit over 500 additional fraud and error staff from April 2025
The Department for Work and Pensions will recruit more than 500 additional fraud and error staff from April 2025, part of measures to use government data to correct errors in benefit claims.
Earnings threshold rises to £846 a month
The monthly earnings threshold used to decide whether the benefit cap grace period applies to Universal Credit claimants rose from £793 to £846 on 1 April 2025.