Benefits news: page 4
- March 2026
Managed migration to be completed by Spring 2026
The DWP has said all migration notices should be sent by the end of December 2025 and the managed migration process completed by Spring 2026, with income-related Employment and Support Allowance claimants last to move.
- February 2026
Evaluation report on managed migration from tax credits to Universal Credit published
The Department for Work and Pensions has published an evaluation of households receiving tax credits only who were invited to move to Universal Credit, covering the period up to April 2025.
DWP begins Automated claimant reviews of Universal Credit claims
The Department for Work and Pensions has started selecting Universal Credit claims for Automated claimant reviews, which can occur at any time and may lead to payments being stopped if claimants do not respond.
DWP publishes Move to UC statistics to end December 2025
The Department for Work and Pensions has published figures showing 2,352,886 individuals were sent migration notices between July 2022 and December 2025, with 356,521 not claiming Universal Credit and having legacy claims closed.
Living Standards Outlook 2026 published
The Resolution Foundation forecasts typical non-pensioner incomes will grow 1.2 per cent in 2026-27, with lower-income families seeing gains of 4.7 per cent as benefit uprating and the two-child limit change take effect.
Minister commits to accept Benefit Fraud and Error Task and Finish Group recommendations
Northern Ireland's Communities Minister has accepted the Benefit Fraud and Error Task and Finish Group's recommendations, pledging around 200 extra staff and a new advertising campaign.
Funeral Support Payment eligibility widened by around 40%
A new nearest relative eligibility test for Scotland's Funeral Support Payment is expected to widen eligibility by around 40 per cent, reaching an estimated 5,000 people each year.
- January 2026
Government confirms Warm Home Discount Scheme will continue for five years to 2030/31
The Government has confirmed the Warm Home Discount will run for a further five years from 2026/27 to 2030/31, merging the two Core Groups in England and Wales and expanding data-matched eligibility in Scotland.
Government responds to Warm Home Discount consultation without increasing the £150 rebate
The Government has published its response to the Warm Home Discount consultation, extending the scheme to 2031 but leaving the £150 rebate unchanged and eligibility rules as they are.
Universal Credit LHA rates 2026 to 2027 published
The Department for Work and Pensions has published Universal Credit Local Housing Allowance rates for England, Scotland and Wales covering April 2026 to March 2027, with a date error corrected in April.
Legislative Consent Memorandum laid for Universal Credit two-child limit removal Bill
The Minister for Communities has laid a legislative consent memorandum asking the Northern Ireland Assembly to agree that the Universal Credit two-child limit removal Bill extends to Northern Ireland.
MPs to question DWP officials amid complaints controversy
The Work and Pensions Committee will question Department for Work and Pensions officials on 16 January 2026 about paused remedial actions, carers allowance overpayment debts and the department's annual reports and accounts.
Household Support Fund replaced by Crisis and Resilience Fund
Official guidance on Cost of Living Payments now points households to the Crisis and Resilience Fund, after the Household Support Fund was replaced in an update published on 1 April 2026.
Consumer Scotland opposes moving Warm Home Discount costs to the unit rate
Consumer Scotland has told the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero that the cost of the Warm Home Discount should stay on the standing charge rather than move to the unit rate.
PIP waiting times reach 20 weeks, highest in almost four years
Average waits for a new Personal Independence Payment decision have reached 20 weeks, the longest in almost four years, with more than 710,000 people waiting for an outcome as of January 2026.
- December 2025
Government publishes Child Poverty Strategy
The government has published its Child Poverty Strategy, Our Children, Our Future, restating the removal of the two-child limit on Universal Credit and setting out measures on child maintenance, childcare and family incomes.
Resolution Foundation corrects Budget special welfare spending figure
The Resolution Foundation has corrected its Budget analysis, saying welfare policy over this Parliament cuts spending by £0.5 billion in 2029-30 rather than increasing it by £0.7 billion.
Announcement that the 2-child limit will end from April 2026
The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that the Universal Credit two-child limit will end from April 2026, with the extra child amount paid for every child from that point.
30 free hours childcare extended in England
From September 2025 eligible working parents in England can claim 30 hours of free childcare a week for children aged nine months to school age, extended from the previous 15 hours.
DWP to send all migration notices by end of December 2025
The Department for Work and Pensions has said all migration notices should be sent by the end of December 2025, with the managed migration process completed by Spring 2026.
ESA claimants to be invited to claim Universal Credit by end of 2025
People still receiving income-related Employment and Support Allowance will be invited to claim Universal Credit by the end of 2025, according to Age UK's record of benefits changes.
High-cost-to-heat threshold removed for Warm Home Discount in England and Wales for winter 2025/26
The high-cost-to-heat test for Warm Home Discount eligibility in England and Wales was removed for winter 2025/26, with around 6 million households estimated to receive the £150 rebate.
Planned PIP eligibility changes postponed from November 2026
The government has dropped plans to tighten the daily living scoring rules for Personal Independence Payment from November 2026, replacing them with a wider review of the benefit.
Scottish core group criteria aligned with Winter heating payment benefits
Ofgem has confirmed that the Warm Home Discount core group criteria in Scotland are aligned with the qualifying benefits used for the Scottish Winter heating payment as of December 2025.
Winter Heating Payment 2025/26 payments begin
Winter Heating Payment for 2025/26 began reaching eligible households in Scotland from mid December 2025, with most payments completed by the end of February 2026.
Winter heating payment to be paid in Scotland from December 2025
Scotland's winter heating payment, a one-off £59.75 for eligible households, is being paid from December 2025, with most payments completed by the end of February 2026.
- November 2025
Government announces removal of the two-child benefit cap in Budget
The Chancellor announced in the Autumn Budget that the two-child limit in Universal Credit will be abolished from April 2026, with legislation now before Parliament and Northern Ireland consent sought.
Publication of child low income poverty projections to FYE 2030
The Department for Work and Pensions has published projections of child low income poverty trends to the financial year ending 2030, accounting for the removal of the two-child limit announced in November 2025.
Publication of poverty impact estimates for Budget 2025 social security changes
The government has published estimates of how removing the two-child limit from April 2026 would affect low income poverty levels, alongside figures on affected households by nation and constituency.
Government accepts key recommendations of Sayce review on Carer's Allowance overpayments
The government has accepted key recommendations of the Sayce review into Carer's Allowance overpayments, with most affected carers to have their cases reassessed automatically and repayments potentially refunded.