Universal Credit hub
Universal Credit is the main working-age means-tested benefit in the UK, combining housing support, child elements, childcare support, health elements and basic living costs into a single monthly payment. This hub brings together the main calculators and guides so you can move from a quick estimate to a detailed understanding.
Best place to start
Use the main estimator first, then move into the worked examples and explainers that match the change you are trying to understand.
Key facts for 2026/27
- › Standard allowance: £424.90/month (single, 25+) or £666.97/month (couple, both 25+)
- › Child element: £303.94 per child per month from April 2026 (no two-child limit)
- › Earnings taper: 55%, you keep 45p of every £1 earned above the work allowance
- › Work allowance: £427 or £710/month where children or a health element apply
- › Savings threshold: £6,000 lower (tariff income applies above this), £16,000 upper (UC stops)
- › Benefit Cap: £1,835/month outside London, £2,110 inside London (families)
Tools for this topic
Free Universal Credit calculator 2026/27 UK
Free Universal Credit calculator for 2026/27. Estimate UC from earnings, rent, children and savings, including the £6,000, £16,000 and tariff income rules.
Benefit Cap calculator
Check whether your monthly benefits appear to be above the current cap inside or outside Greater London, using the current family and single-adult limits.
Universal Credit savings limit calculator 2026/27 UK
Check how savings affect Universal Credit in 2026/27. See the £6,000 lower limit, £16,000 upper limit and £4.35 per £250 tariff income rule.
Earnings and Universal Credit calculator
How much Universal Credit you keep when you earn more in 2026/27: pay up to the £427 or £710 work allowance is ignored, then UC falls 55p per £1, so you keep 45p.
Council Tax Reduction estimator
Free Council Tax Reduction calculator for 2026/27: estimate help from your bill, income, benefits and savings. Each council sets its own scheme, so check yours.
Plain-English guides
Universal Credit explained 2026/27, rates, capital limits and working-family rules
Universal Credit guide for 2026/27: rates, work allowance, £6,000 and £16,000 capital limits, tariff income, savings rules and what working families should check next.
How Much Savings Can You Have on Universal Credit? 2026/27 Rules
Savings rules for UK benefits 2026/27: UC ignores savings below £6,000. Between £6,000 and £16,000 your award is reduced by £4.35/month per £250 over the threshold. Over £16,000, UC stops. Pension Credit uses a more lenient £10,000 disregard. PIP and Child Benefit are unaffected by savings.
What counts as income for benefit calculations?
What counts as income for Universal Credit in 2026/27: earnings tapered at 55% after the work allowance, benefits that count pound-for-pound, and what is ignored like PIP and Child Benefit.
Best next reads
Use these follow-up pages to move from the main estimate into worked examples, explanations and the questions that change awards most often.
Relevant situation guides
Benefits for single parents
Single parent benefits 2026/27: Universal Credit work allowance, Child Benefit, childcare support and council tax help, with a full worked example and calculator.
Benefits for low-income families
A guide to UK support for families on a low income, Universal Credit, Child Benefit, childcare help, Free School Meals, Healthy Start and more.
Benefits for renters
Benefits for renters 2026/27: Universal Credit housing costs capped at your Local Housing Allowance rate, Housing Benefit for pension-age cases, plus Council Tax Reduction, with a worked rent example.
Scenario explainers
What happens to Universal Credit if my savings increase?
UC savings rules 2026/27: below £6,000 ignored entirely, £6,000–£16,000 reduces your award at £4.35/month per £250 over, over £16,000 stops UC entitlement. Use the savings impact calculator to see the effect on your award.
What happens to Universal Credit if I work more hours?
Working more hours and Universal Credit 2026/27: the 55% taper means you keep 45p per extra pound earned above the work allowance (£710/month or £427 with housing). See a worked example of exactly how your UC award changes.
What happens to my benefits if my partner moves in?
Partner moves in and benefits 2026/27: UC switches to a joint claim, savings are assessed jointly, single person council tax discount ends. See what changes, what to report to DWP and by when.
What happens to my benefits if my rent increases?
Rent increase and UC 2026/27: the housing element is capped by the Local Housing Allowance for your area, a rent rise above the LHA cap doesn't increase UC. See the LHA rules, benefit cap interactions, and DHP options.