Four benefits not rising despite millions getting a boost this month – see how to get help

THIS MONTH, thousands of people on Universal Credit (UC) will finally get their increased payment amounts in line with inflation.

The uplifted benefit came into force in April at the start of the new tax year, but increases have been staggered according to assessment periods, with the last people getting money this week.

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And it’s not just UC that’s risen this year, a whole host of benefits including maternity and paternity pay, pension credit, income support, and housing benefit have also gone up.

But, despite widespread increases, there are some benefits that will not be increasing in this tax year. Here’s the full list.

Benefit cap

The benefit cap is the total amount of benefits a household can receive, and it applies to most people aged between 16 and state pension age.

In Greater London, for couples (with or without children) or single people with a child of qualifying age, the cap is £25,323 a year. For single adult households without children, it’s £16,967.

Outside of London, the limits are £22,020 and £14,753, respectively.

The Sun has calculated that the freeze could leave 85,000 people worse off this year, but the benefit has not changed since it was cut in 2016, despite high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis.

Bereavement Support Payments

Bereavement Support Payments give financial support to people following the death of a partner for a set period of time.

The most you can get is a one off payment of £3,500 and 18 monthly payments of £350 – this is called the “higher rate” and applies to those who had a child and claimed child benefit, or were pregnant.

The lower rate for those without children is a one-off payment of £2,500 and 18 monthly payments of £100.

These rates will not rise in line with inflation.

You must claim Bereavement Support Payments within three months of your partners’ death.

Capital limits

Capital limits restrict the amount of savings you can have before you stop getting certain benefits.

This includes things like Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit.

The lower limit remains at £6,000, meaning that any savings you have below that will be disregarded for benefits calculations.

The upper limit is usually £16,000 and will not be changing, meaning that if you have any savings over that, you won’t receive any benefits at all. 

If you have between £6,000 and £16,000, you’ll typically get a reduced amount, according to each benefit’s taper rules.

Housing benefit

While housing benefit is rising generally, one premium that isn’t is the loan parent rate.

This will remain at £22.20 a week. 

Income tax allowance

While technically not a benefit, the income tax allowance defines how much you can earn before you pay income tax, and which income tax bracket you sit in. 

However, the personal allowance has been frozen since 2021, and the government has confirmed that it will remain frozen until 2027/28.

This means more and more people receiving benefits will be paying income tax.

What other help is available?

Millions of Brits are missing out on benefits they’re entitled to, adding up to billions of pounds in total.

You can check what extra benefits you might qualify for by using a benefits calculator. There are several benefit checker tools you can use – here’s our guide.

You may also be able to get help with essential costs from your local council, through the Household Support Fund. 

For instance, you could get money to help you pay for:

• energy and water bills
• food
• essential items

Some councils even offer food vouchers to families during the school holidays.

The eligibility criteria and application process will depend on your council’s rules. You should check your local council’s website to see what’s available.

If you’re worried about your energy bills over winter, there are lots of different help options available including government schemes, and even grants from energy companies themselves. Read our guide to understand all the help on offer.

Cutting back on water bills or taking advantage of schemes designed to help people who are struggling is another good way to make ends meet. For instance, thousands of households are missing out on £400 free cash. 

Meanwhile, here is the full list of all of the benefits that increased in April 2024.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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