How much Universal Credit will I get?

For people who want to know how much Universal Credit they could get each month in 2026/27.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

It depends on your circumstances. The monthly standard allowance is:

Single, under 25: £338.58
Single, 25 or over: £424.90
Couple, both under 25: £528.34
Couple, either 25 or over: £666.97

You may get extra, for example £303.94 a month per child, help with childcare costs (up to 85%) and housing costs. Payments can be reduced by earnings and by savings over £6,000.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Single 25+: £424.90 a month
£303.94 a month per child
Up to 85% of childcare costs

Universal Credit standard allowance for 2026/27

Everyone on Universal Credit gets a standard allowance. These are monthly amounts for the 2026/27 tax year (from April 2026).

Your situation	2025/26	2026/27
Single, under 25	£316.98	£338.58
Single, 25 or over	£400.14	£424.90
Couple, both under 25	£497.55	£528.34
Couple, one or both 25 or over	£628.10	£666.97

Extra amounts you could get (2026/27, per month)

Extra amount	Monthly
Each child	£303.94
First child, if born before 6 April 2017	£351.88
Disabled child, lower rate	£164.79
Disabled child, higher rate	£514.71
Health condition (LCWRA), most new claims from April 2026	£217.26
Health condition (LCWRA), earlier claims, severe conditions or terminal illness	£429.80
Caring for a disabled person 35 hours a week or more	£209.34
Childcare	up to 85% of costs, max £1,071.09 (1 child) or £1,836.16 (2 or more)

You may also get help with rent. The 2 child limit ended on 6 April 2026, so you now get the child amount for every child.

What reduces the amount

Earnings. For every £1 you earn, your payment goes down by 55p. If you have children, or a health condition that affects your work, you get a work allowance first. This is the amount you can earn before your payment drops:

£427 a month if you get help with housing costs
£710 a month if you do not

Savings. Savings under £6,000 do not count. Between £6,000 and £16,000, your payment goes down by £4.35 a month for every £250 (or part of £250). Over £16,000, you cannot usually get Universal Credit.

Other things. Other income such as pensions, some other benefits, paying back an advance, debts and the benefit cap can all lower your payment.

Worked example 1: single person, part time job

Sam is 30, single, has no children and no housing costs. Sam earns £500 a month after tax.

Standard allowance: £424.90
No work allowance (no children or health element)
Earnings reduction: £500 x 55% = £275.00
Universal Credit: £424.90 minus £275.00 = £149.90 a month

Worked example 2: couple with 2 children

Priya and Tom are both over 25. They have 2 children born after April 2017. They own their home outright, so get no housing amount. Together they earn £1,500 a month after tax.

Standard allowance: £666.97
Children: 2 x £303.94 = £607.88
Maximum award: £1,274.85
Earnings over the £710 work allowance: £1,500 minus £710 = £790
Reduction: £790 x 55% = £434.50
Universal Credit: £1,274.85 minus £434.50 = £840.35 a month

Savings example

If you have £8,000 in savings, that is £2,000 over £6,000. That is 8 lots of £250, so your payment drops by 8 x £4.35 = £34.80 a month.

How to get a more exact figure

Your payment is worked out each month, so it can change. Use a free, anonymous benefits calculator on GOV.UK to estimate what you could get. You will need details of your income, savings, rent and childcare costs.

In Northern Ireland, the standard allowances are the same, but Universal Credit is paid twice a month. Check nidirect.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Use a benefits calculator

Common questions

Are extra amounts added automatically?

No. You need to report changes when you become eligible, for example if you become a carer.

How do savings affect it?

Over £6,000, your payment drops by £4.35 for every £250 between £6,000 and £16,000.

Source: Universal Credit: what you'll get

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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