PIP and DLA rates up-rated from April 2026

The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026 was made on 2 March 2026 and sets new weekly rates for disability benefits from April 2026¹. The Order was laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House¹. It was signed by Stephen Timms, Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions¹.

Under the Order, the Personal Independence Payment daily living component rises to £76.70 at the standard rate and £114.60 at the enhanced rate, while the mobility component rises to £30.30 and £80.00². The same figures are given for the daily living and mobility components of Disability Living Allowance². The Order states that the sums "shall in each case be increased by 3.8 per cent"¹.

PIP is for adults aged 16 to pension age and replaces DLA for children when they turn 16². It is not means-tested and can be paid both in and out of work². PIP is never treated as income for other benefits, but an award can help a claimant qualify for extra amounts within means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, and for benefits such as Carer's Allowance².

The Order also uprates other benefits and payments. The full rate of the state pension rises from £230.25 to £241.30¹. Statutory sick pay rises from £118.75 to £123.25¹, and statutory paternity, adoption and shared parental pay rise from £187.18 to £194.32¹. The Order revokes the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2025¹.

The Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland, except for provisions covering attendance allowance, severe disablement allowance, age related addition and carer's allowance, which extend to England and Wales only¹. Adult Disability Payment has replaced PIP in Scotland².

Why it matters for households

The new rates apply to people already receiving PIP or DLA and to new claimants, and set the weekly amounts paid from April 2026¹. Because PIP is not means-tested and is not counted as income for other benefits, the uprating changes the amount paid directly to the claimant rather than reducing other awards². The higher rates can also affect entitlement to extra amounts within means-tested benefits and to Carer's Allowance².

For families moving a child from DLA to PIP, the DWP normally invites a claim shortly after the child's 16th birthday². In England and Wales the DWP writes when the child is 15 years and seven months, follows up at 15 years and 10 months, and contacts them shortly after their birthday². In Northern Ireland the Social Security Agency contacts the family before the child's birthday². Where the DWP has invited a claim, it must be made within 28 days, and DLA payments continue until a decision is made on the PIP claim; if the child does not claim when invited, DLA payments stop². Some people receive the same amount as before, others more or less, and some DLA claimants are refused PIP altogether². In Northern Ireland, a child refused PIP or awarded less than their previous DLA may qualify for supplementary payments for up to a year².

What happens next

The Order comes into force for different provisions on different dates: 1 April 2026 for articles 2 and 7, 6 April 2026 for articles 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18 and 19, and 9 April 2026 for articles 16 and 17¹. Articles 5 and 8 come into force at 00.01 on 6 April 2026, and article 9 on 5 April 2026, except for determining the rate of maternity allowance, for which it comes into force on 6 April 2026¹. Income support provisions apply from the first day of the first benefit week to commence for a beneficiary on or after 6 April 2026¹. Housing benefit provisions apply on 6 April 2026 where rent is payable weekly or at a multiple of a week, and on 1 April 2026 in any other case¹.