Estimate your Universal Credit entitlement based on your household circumstances, income and housing costs. Updated for 2025/26 rates.
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Universal Credit is a monthly payment from the DWP that replaces six legacy benefits: Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. It is paid to people who are on a low income or out of work.
Your UC award is made up of a standard allowance plus any additional elements you qualify for. From this maximum amount, a taper is applied to your earnings — for every £1 you earn above the work allowance, your UC reduces by 55p.
If you have children or a disability/health condition, you have a work allowance — an amount you can earn each month before your UC starts to be reduced. The work allowance for 2025/26 is £404/month if UC includes a housing element, or £673/month if it does not.
The UC taper rate is 55%. For every £1 earned above the work allowance, UC reduces by 55p. This means working more hours always leaves you better off — you keep 45p of every extra pound you earn.
If you have savings or capital of more than £6,000, your UC may be reduced. If you have more than £16,000, you are not entitled to UC at all.
Apply for Universal Credit at gov.uk/universal-credit/how-to-claim. You will need to create an online account. There is a 5-week wait for your first payment — advance payments are available but must be paid back.