Last week the government dropped its plans to reform PIP.
So, for now, we don’t have to worry about the proposed minimum-four-points rule.
After some amendments, their plans to change Universal Credit are going ahead:
Here’s how things stand today:
UC Standard Allowances
Standard Allowances are the basic amounts of UC: £400.14 for a single person or £628.10 for a couple.
Over the next five years, these will be increased by 15% above inflation. So, in five years time the basic amounts will be worth about £460 and £720 – with inflation increases on top of that figure.
Hurrah!
UC LCWRA Elements
The LCWRA element is an extra £423.27 for people who have illnesses or disabilities that have severe effects.
For claims from April 2026 this will be reduced to £217.26 unless:
- you already entitled to an LCWRA element on 6 April 2026; or
- you meet the severe conditions criteria – which means your condition is lifelong, constant, and has been diagnosed by a qualified NHS health care professional, or,
- you are terminally ill – your death would not be a surprise in the next twelve months.
These two rates of the LCWRA Element will then be frozen until March 2030.
LCW Elements for people who have been claiming continuously from before 2017 will also be frozen.
Legacy ESA
Income-related-ESA is a benefit for people who are ill or disabled; who claimed before the introduction of Universal Credit.
Eventually, everyone claiming legacy ESA wil be migrated to Universal Credit.
In the meantime their old entitlements continue.
New rules for legacy ESA mirror the Universal Credit changes. There will be:
- above inflation increases in the ESA Personal Allowances
- a freeze on the Support Component, Severe Disability Premium, Enhanced Disability Premium; and Work Related Activity Component.