The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed the list of benefits that will increase this month at the start of the new financial year. The annual uprating, which is tied to inflation, will see payments rise by 3.8% in April 2026.
The figure is based on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for September 2025, which held steady at 3.8% despite expectations from economists and the Bank of England that it would climb to 4%. The Office for National Statistics released the data that confirmed the rate of inflation.
An exception applies to the State Pension, which rises under the triple lock by the highest of inflation, average earnings growth, or 2.5%. This year it will increase by 4.8%, in line with average earnings growth between May and July. Other benefits set to rise include Universal Credit, Child Benefit, and Disability Living Allowance.
The September inflation figure is used by the Government to review benefit levels each year. Last April, recipients saw a much smaller uplift of 1.7%, reflecting the lower rate of inflation recorded in September 2024. The latest increase is expected to represent a peak, with inflation projected to ease by the time of the next annual review.
There are nine benefits that the DWP is legally required to increase in line with inflation each April, while other benefits are subject to parliamentary approval. The confirmed list includes all of the main means-tested and disability benefits, providing a boost for millions of claimants across the UK.
