Copyright birminghammail
The health element of Universal Credit (UC) is to be cut for new claimants from April 2026. It's part of controversial cuts for disability benefit claimants planned by the Government. Ministers have had to shelve most of their plans because of anger among Labour MPs but the UC cut for new claimants will be going ahead. READ MORE: HMRC deducting £300 from state pensioners' bank accounts from Saturday Get our best money saving tips and hacks by signing up to our newsletter For new claimants, the UC health top-up will be slashed by almost half from £97 a week to £50 - except those with the most serious and life-long conditions. It will then stay frozen in future years and not rise in line with inflation. Health benefit cuts were watered down by the Government in a bid to placate angry MPs. But ministers are now facing accusations of a two-tier disability benefit system, with existing claimants getting more than new ones despite potentially having the same condition. Wider plans to cut Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are on hold amid an independent review, which was called following a backlash among MPs. The UC standard allowance will be rising above inflation from next April, the Government confirmed. Citizens Advice explained: "The UC bill cuts the health element of Universal Credit (UC health) by nearly 50%, to £50 a week for new claimants - except those with the most serious, life-long conditions - from April 2026. "After that, UC health will be frozen and won’t go up with inflation. "For current claimants, and new claimants who meet the new severe conditions criteria, UC health will be maintained at the original rate and uprated depending on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). These changes weren’t consulted on. "The bill also increases the UC standard allowance above inflation until 2029/30. "The Government predicts this will be a £7 per week increase for 2026/2027, but the exact amount is dependent on CPI in September 2025. When the bill was originally brought forward on June 18, it also included restrictions to the eligibility criteria for the non-means tested disability benefit PIP. "These changes have now been shelved, pending a review of the PIP assessment by Sir Stephen Timms. "It’s welcome that the Government listened to the significant concerns raised by disabled people, charities, and MPs about the bill. "However, the changes made to UC health are poorly designed and will cause harm to disabled people."
