Overview

• The Department for Work and Pensions raised Universal Credit standard allowances by 1.7% from April 7, matching September 2024’s CPI inflation.
• Claimants whose assessment periods began after April 7 received higher rates in May, while those with earlier periods will see increases in June.
• The DWP has pledged to backdate payments so all eligible claimants receive the full uplift in arrears.
• State Pension payments also rose by 4.1% from April 7 under the government’s Triple Lock commitment.
• A reduced Fair Repayment Rate—from 25% to 15%—is helping around 1.2 million households retain more of their Universal Credit awards.