The government has made changes to Universal Credit that affect everyone from 6 April 2026. They include changes that might affect you if you have 3 or more children or if you have a long-term health condition or disability.
If you’re on Universal Credit, you will already know that you receive a standard amount called the ‘standard allowance’, which depends on your age and if you live with a partner.
The standard allowance increased on 6 April 2026, so here are the key things to check to make sure you’re getting as much as you’re entitled to:
- Your age: are you under or over the age of 25?
- Your living situation: are you living alone or with a partner?
There are other elements called the child element and the limited capacity for work-related activity (LCWRA) element that also changed on 6 April 2026, so keep reading to see if there’s anything you need to check or change.
If you have 3 or more children
In the past, you could usually only claim a child element of Universal Credit for your first 2 children.
This ‘2 child limit’ was removed on 6 April 2026, so you can now get a child element for each child, including if you have 3 or more. Make sure to check that all of your children are registered on your Universal Credit account so you’re not missing out on any additions to the child element that you can get.
Check how much Universal Credit you’ll get
If you have a limited capacity for work-related activity (LCWRA)
If you have been told by the DWP that you have LCWRA, you might get an additional payment with your Universal Credit called the LCWRA element. From 6 April 2026, this payment is either a higher amount of £429.80 a month or a lower amount of £217.26 a month.
You’ll get the higher amount if any of these applied before 6 April, so be sure to check your Universal Credit account:
- You were already getting Universal Credit with the LCWRA element
- You reported your health condition or disability, and the DWP say you have LCWRA
- You were already getting a limited capacity to work (LCW) element, but your condition got worse so the DWP started to reassess you, and they say you have LCWRA
- You were already getting Employment and Support Allowance with the support component and you continue to get it until you apply for Universal Credit
If you reported your health condition or disability on or after 6 April 2026 and the DWP say you have LCWRA, you’ll get the lower amount – unless you meet certain health criteria.
Check the higher LCWRA amount criteria
