As the year reaches its halfway point, many households are feeling the strain of rising costs, exacerbated by the ongoing US-Iran conflict which has disrupted global oil supplies and pushed up energy and food prices. Inflation fell to 2.8% in April, down from 3.3% in March, but experts warn it could spike to 4% by the end of 2026.
According to the Cost of Living Action group, 63% of Britons have cut back on essentials to cope with rising prices. Meanwhile, the Resolution Foundation reports that 55% of households in poverty now contain at least one working person. Against this backdrop, claiming all entitled benefits is crucial, with around 24 million people (one in three) receiving some form of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) support.
In June, benefit payments will proceed as usual with no bank holidays affecting schedules. The DWP has largely completed the migration of legacy benefits to Universal Credit, though Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit will remain open until the end of summer for vulnerable claimants. The basic state pension is paid every four weeks, with the payment day determined by the last two digits of your National Insurance number.
From April 2026, Universal Credit standard allowances rose by 6.2% – a £6 weekly increase for single claimants over 25 (from £92 to £98) and £9 for couples (from £145 to £154). Most other benefits, including PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance, and Carer’s Allowance, increased by 3.8% in line with September’s inflation rate. However, the health-related element of Universal Credit for new claimants was cut from £105 to £50 per week, with existing claimants’ rates frozen until 2029.
The state pension rose by 4.8% to £241.05 per week. Additionally, councils are now administering Labour’s new Crisis and Resilience Fund, which replaces the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments. This includes crisis payments for low-income households facing financial shocks. Research by Policy in Practice shows £24bn in benefits goes unclaimed each year; households can use its calculator to check eligibility.
