The Department for Work and Pensions has officially confirmed a significant uplift in weekly payments for millions of people claiming key disability and carer benefits. From April 2026, recipients of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance, and Carer's Allowance will see their payments rise by 3.8 per cent.
New Weekly Rates for 2026/27 Revealed
The DWP has published the proposed new weekly payment rates, which will come into effect next April. All claimants will receive an uprating letter from the department before the new rates start, which should be kept safe as proof of entitlement.
For Attendance Allowance, the higher rate will increase from £110.40 to £114.60 per week, while the lower rate rises from £73.90 to £76.70.
Carer's Allowance will see its weekly rate go up from £83.30 to £86.45. The weekly earnings threshold for this benefit will also increase, moving from £196.00 to £204.00.
Detailed Breakdown for PIP and DLA
The changes for Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are slightly more complex, as both have multiple components.
For Disability Living Allowance (DLA):
- Care Component - Highest: £114.60 (from £110.40), Middle: £76.70 (from £73.90), Lowest: £30.30 (from £29.20)
- Mobility Component - Higher: £77.05 (from £80.00), Lower: £30.30 (from £29.20)
For Personal Independence Payment (PIP):
- Daily Living Component - Enhanced: £114.60 (from £110.40), Standard: £76.70 (from £73.90)
- Mobility Component - Enhanced: £80.00 (from £77.05), Standard: £30.30 (from £29.20)
Impact on Millions of Claimants
Recent DWP data shows that 3.9 million people are currently claiming PIP alone. With the 3.8% increase, the four-weekly pay period for PIP will rise to between £121.20 and £778.20, up from the current range of £116.80 to £749.80.
The combination of PIP components means there are eight possible award levels. For example, a claimant receiving both the enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility components will see their weekly payment rise to £194.60, equating to £778.40 every four weeks.
It is important to note that these benefits, including PIP and DLA, remain tax-free and are not affected by the benefit cap.
For those receiving devolved benefits in Scotland, such as the Adult Disability Payment or Carer Support Payment, the new payment rates will be confirmed following the Scottish Budget on 13 January 2026.
A full breakdown of all benefit rates, including additional payments and deduction rates, is available on the official GOV.UK website.
