The Department for Work and Pensions is adding £300 onto Universal Credit payments in May for claimants with children. DWP caseload figures show taxpayers are now supporting 7.2 million households on the benefit, with 93% of them receiving a payment.
Breakdown of Payments
Families with children make up 44% of paying households. Couples with children receive the most in payments, averaging £1,330 a month, while single people without children get the least at £800. The average monthly payment across all households now stands at £1,030, meaning those with children get £300 more on average per month.
Universal Credit Increase
The Universal Credit standard allowance is increasing by 6.2% this year, a change brought in by the Universal Credit Act of 2025. This is the first of four years when upratings are committed to be above inflation. Pensioners will also benefit from a real-terms boost in support, as both the State Pension and Pension Credit rise by 4.8%.
Additional Support for Low-Income Families
These increases coincide with other changes easing pressure on low-income families. Sir Stephen Timms, the Labour Party minister, said: "The Government recognises that the level of household food insecurity in the UK is unacceptable. We have announced action to expand free school meals, support parents with the cost of healthy food in the school holidays with the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, and transform our food system to ensure it delivers access to affordable, healthy food."
Over £600 million has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years from 2026/27. The Government has also taken further action to support low-income households, including the increase in the National Living Wage to £12.71 an hour from April 2026.
On 1 April 2026, the Government launched a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities, working with the voluntary and community sector, as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis, to support the ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
