Overview
- DWP confirms a sustained above-inflation uplift to the standard allowance from April, worth about £295 this year for a single person aged 25+, rising toward £760 by the end of the decade.
- From April, new Health Element claims will be set at £217.26 per month, with the higher rate maintained for existing recipients and the most severe or end-of-life cases.
- Official figures show 8.4 million people on Universal Credit in January 2026, roughly one million more than a year earlier.
- The department says more than three-quarters of the year-on-year rise reflects managed migration from legacy benefits, with the transition due to finish by March 2026.
- Ministers highlight over £3.5 billion for employment support plus the rollout of WorkWell and Connect to Work, alongside an average £150 cut to energy bills and the scrapping of the two-child cap.