Why DWP universal credit claimants may not get full benefit increase until May
18.03.2024 - 10:35
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
People who receive benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) each month could have to wait weeks to get the full increase in benefit rates from April.
Universal Credit was boosted by a huge 6.7 per cent in the Chancellor's Spring Budget, which came as a relief for the many households struggling to keep up with the ever-rising cost of food and energy. But, due to the complexities of the DWP payment system, not everyone will get the new amount.
The April benefits boost could mean as much as a monthly increase of hundreds for some of the poorest households up and down the UK, but recipients are being warned that not everyone will receive the cash as part of their April Universal Credit payment. This is due to the way the DWP assessment periods work, reports WalesOnline.
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New HMRC payment rates for 2024/25 will start from April 6 while increases from the DWP will start slightly later on April 8. Letters are sent out annually to all claimants ahead of the changes to let them know how much they will receive during the new financial year - these letters should arrive before the start of the new financial year on April 6, 2024.
The reason you might not immediately get the uplifted benefit rates is that they will not fully take effect until after the payment cycle immediately following the uprating date.
This is because most payments, including state pension and personal independence payments (PIP) are made four weeks in arrears. Universal credit differs slightly as assessment periods run from month-to-month on a specific date.
This means that payments sent out in April might include a mix of the old and new
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