UK Benefits Calculator 2026/27
By Omair SaoLast reviewed — rates for the 2026/27 tax year. See how we check our figures.
Check which UK benefits you might be entitled to. Answer 5 quick questions to get your personalised estimate — no sign-up needed.
Benefits You Can Check
This calculator covers the most common UK means-tested and disability benefits for the 2026/27 tax year, including:
- Universal Credit
- Child Benefit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Carer's Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Reduction
- Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
- Attendance Allowance
How Accurate Is This Calculator?
This tool provides estimates based on the 2026/27 benefit rates published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and GOV.UK. Actual entitlements depend on your full household circumstances, which only a formal benefit claim can determine. Use this calculator to get a quick indication — then verify with GOV.UK's official benefits calculator or Citizens Advice.
Who this benefits calculator is for
- Working people on modest earnings who have never claimed anything and do not realise Universal Credit can top up wages, rent and childcare costs.
- Parents checking Child Benefit and the Universal Credit child element now that the two-child limit has been removed for assessment periods from 6 April 2026.
- Anyone with a long-term health condition or disability, or who cares for someone with one, since PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance are not means-tested and are widely under-claimed.
- People over State Pension age on a low income, where Pension Credit can be worth thousands a year and unlocks help with council tax, energy bills and the TV licence over 75.
- Anyone whose circumstances have just changed: a job loss, reduced hours, a new baby, separation, a bereavement or a diagnosis.
How the benefits calculator works
- 1
Answer six short questions
Age, whether you live alone or with a partner, children, housing and rent, take-home earnings, savings and health. Nothing is stored and there is no account.
- 2
Build a Universal Credit maximum amount
Starting from the standard allowance for 2026/27 (£424.90 a month if you are single and 25 or over, £666.97 for a couple where either is 25 or over, less for under-25s), the calculator adds £303.94 for each child (£351.88 for an eldest child born before 6 April 2017), £209.34 if you care for a disabled person for 35 hours a week, a health element if you cannot work, and your rent as a housing element.
- 3
Reduce it for savings and earnings
Savings over £16,000 rule out Universal Credit entirely. Between £6,000 and £16,000, £4.35 a month is deducted for every £250 above £6,000. Earnings above your work allowance (£427 a month if you get help with housing costs, £710 if you do not) reduce the payment by 55p for every £1.
- 4
Check the non-means-tested benefits
Child Benefit (£27.05 a week for the eldest child and £17.90 for each other child), PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance depend on your circumstances rather than your income, so the calculator flags them from your answers about children, health and caring.
- 5
Flag Pension Credit and council tax help
If you are over 66 the calculator compares your income with the Pension Credit guarantee level (£238 a week single, £363.25 for a couple). Renters on low incomes are pointed to Council Tax Reduction, which every council runs on its own rules.
Worked examples
Single parent, two children, renting, working part-time
Aged 30, two children born after 2017, private rent of £700 a month, take-home earnings of £1,200 a month, £2,000 in savings, no health condition.
| Standard allowance (single, 25 or over) | £424.90 |
| Child elements (2 × £303.94) | £607.88 |
| Housing elementRent, subject to the Local Housing Allowance cap for your area | £700.00 |
| Maximum Universal Credit | £1,732.78 |
| Earnings deduction(£1,200 − £427 work allowance) × 55% | −£425.15 |
| Universal Credit payable per month | £1,307.63 |
| Child Benefit per month(£27.05 + £17.90) × 52 ÷ 12 | £194.78 |
Result: Around £1,500 a month on top of wages, plus a likely Council Tax Reduction. Someone in this position who has never claimed could be missing out on £18,000 a year.
Couple, no children, one earner, homeowners with savings
Both aged 40, one partner earning £2,200 a month take-home, no rent or mortgage help, £9,000 in savings.
| Standard allowance (couple, 25 or over) | £666.97 |
| Savings deduction12 × £4.35 for the £3,000 above £6,000 | −£52.20 |
| Earnings deduction(£2,200 − £710 work allowance) × 55% | −£819.50 |
| Universal Credit payableDeductions exceed the maximum amount | £0 |
Result: No Universal Credit entitlement at this income, but if either partner developed a health condition, PIP would be worth up to £194.60 a week regardless of the household's earnings.
Figures use the 2026/27 rates and rules described above, are rounded to the nearest pound, and were last checked against GOV.UK on 25 September 2026.
Assumptions and limitations
- Earnings are entered as take-home pay after tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, which is how Universal Credit assesses them.
- The housing element is shown as your full rent. In practice it is capped at the Local Housing Allowance rate for your area and household size for private tenants, and may be reduced by the bedroom rule for social tenants.
- The health element uses the 2026/27 rates: £429.80 a month for people already assessed before April 2026, with severe conditions or terminal illness, and £217.26 for new claims from 6 April 2026.
- Childcare costs (up to 85% reimbursed), the benefit cap, deductions for advances and debts, the Minimum Income Floor for the self-employed and transitional protection for people moved from legacy benefits are not modelled.
- PIP and Attendance Allowance are flagged, not calculated: they depend on an assessment of how a condition affects daily living and mobility, not on the condition itself.
- Council Tax Reduction is flagged rather than calculated because every local authority runs its own scheme.
- Rates are for the 2026/27 year. Universal Credit rates change each April; Scotland has some different benefits (Adult Disability Payment replaces PIP, and the Scottish Child Payment) that are not covered.
Official sources
The figures used by this calculator come from the following official pages. Read how we check our figures.
- Universal Credit: what you'll get — GOV.UK — Standard allowance and elements
- Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 — GOV.UK — The DWP's full rates list
- Universal Credit: money, savings and investments — GOV.UK — Capital limits and assumed income
- Child Benefit rates — GOV.UK
- PIP: how much you'll get — GOV.UK
- Carer's Allowance — GOV.UK
- Pension Credit: what you'll get — GOV.UK
- Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Act 2026 — legislation.gov.uk
Further reading on IncomeFix
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Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is this benefits calculator?
Our calculator provides estimates based on the information you provide, using official 2026/27 DWP and GOV.UK rates. Actual amounts depend on your full household circumstances. Use this as a quick indication, then verify with GOV.UK or Citizens Advice.
What benefits can I check with this calculator?
Our calculator checks eligibility for Universal Credit, Child Benefit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Carer's Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), and Attendance Allowance.
Do my savings affect my benefits?
Yes. For Universal Credit, savings under £6,000 are ignored. Between £6,000 and £16,000, your payment is reduced by £4.35 per week for every £250 (or part thereof) over £6,000. Over £16,000, you generally cannot claim Universal Credit.
Can I claim benefits if I work?
Yes. Many working people are entitled to benefits. Universal Credit tops up income from work if your household income is below the thresholds. Child Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, and other benefits are available regardless of whether you work. The benefit is tapered gradually as income rises, not switched off suddenly.
How are benefits calculated for couples?
For means-tested benefits like Universal Credit, couples are assessed jointly. Both partners' income and savings are combined. You claim as a household, and the standard allowance for a couple over 25 in 2026/27 is £617.60 per month — higher than the single rate of £400.14.
Do I need to reapply for benefits every year?
Most benefits continue automatically once awarded, but you must report changes in circumstances — such as income changes, moving home, a new child, or a partner moving in or out. Universal Credit adjusts each month based on your reported earnings.
Will a pay rise stop my Universal Credit?
No — a pay rise reduces Universal Credit gradually. For every £1 of net earnings above your work allowance (if you have one), you keep 55p and Universal Credit reduces by 45p. You will not suddenly lose all your benefit at once.