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Benefit Check UK

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Current UK benefit rules and figures

Every figure on this site is read from one central rules file. This page lists every value we use, when it was last reviewed, and the official source. If you spot something out of date, please tell us: hello@benefitcheck.uk.

Universal Credit

Last reviewed 28 May 2025 · source ↗

Lower capital threshold£6,000
Upper capital threshold£16,000
Tariff income per £250 above lower threshold£4.35
Assessment period30 days
First payment wait5 weeks (35 days)
Standard allowance — single, under 25£316.98/month
Standard allowance — single, 25+£400.14/month
Standard allowance — couple, both under 25£497.55/month
Standard allowance — couple, one or both 25+£628.1/month
Taper rate55%
Work allowance — with housing help£411/month
Work allowance — without housing help£684/month

Capital and savings

Last reviewed 28 May 2025 · source ↗

Capital rules above apply to Universal Credit. Pension Credit has no upper limit; deemed income of £1/week is added per £500 above £10,000.

New Style Jobseeker's Allowance

Last reviewed 28 May 2025 · source ↗

Weekly rate — under 25£72.9
Weekly rate — 25 or over£92.05
Maximum duration6 months
NI contribution years required2 of last 2 tax years
Ignores savings?Yes
Ignores partner income?Yes

Housing — Support for Mortgage Interest

Last reviewed 28 May 2025 · source ↗

Wait period before SMI starts3 months
Standard interest rate used3.16%
Mortgage cap£200,000

Inheritance

Last reviewed 28 May 2025 · source ↗

Inheritance counts fromDay executor releases funds
Property valuation methodmarket value − outstanding mortgage − 10% notional selling costs
Main homeDisregarded
Property being sold — disregardUp to 6 months
Must report change within30 days

Council Tax Reduction

Last reviewed 28 May 2025 · source ↗

CTR is locally administered. England: each council sets its own scheme. Wales and Scotland: single national schemes. Northern Ireland: separate Rate Rebate Scheme. Pension-age claimants are protected by a national minimum scheme.

Changelog

Every time we change a figure, we log it here.

  1. 28 May 2025

    Initial publication

    Rules engine introduced. All figures consolidated from existing guides and tools and verified against GOV.UK.

    Source ↗