Estimated monthly Universal Credit: £425. Universal Credit plus earnings £425 per month.
Based on your circumstances, you'd get an estimated £425 a month in Universal Credit.
≈ £5,099 a year in Universal Credit, paid monthly.
Your UC elements
How your payment is calculated
| Maximum UC | £424.90 |
| Monthly UC payment | £424.90 |
Better off in work?
Within this Universal Credit-only calculation, working more increases your total income. The total income column keeps rising at every earnings level — you just keep less of each extra pound as UC tapers away. Your wider household position can also depend on income tax, Council Tax Reduction, childcare, the benefit cap and housing support.
| Monthly earnings | UC | Total income |
|---|---|---|
| £0 · you | £425 | £425 |
| £500 | £150 | £650 |
| £1,000 | £0 | £1,000 |
| £1,500 | £0 | £1,500 |
| £2,000 | £0 | £2,000 |
| £2,500 | £0 | £2,500 |
Above your work allowance, UC drops by 55p for every extra £1 you earn — so you keep 45p of UC plus the £1 of pay. Your UC stops once your earnings used for UC reach about £773/month (net earnings — your pay after tax and National Insurance).
Example households
At your £0/mo earnings. Tap to load a household.
Frequently asked questions
How much Universal Credit will I get?
Your award is your maximum Universal Credit — a standard allowance plus any elements for children, childcare, rent, caring or a health condition — minus 55p for every £1 you earn above your work allowance, and minus a deduction for savings over £6,000. For 2026/27 the standard allowance alone is £424.90 a month for a single person 25 or over, or £666.97 for a couple where one or both are 25+. Put your circumstances into the calculator above for a monthly figure.
How much is the Universal Credit standard allowance for 2026/27?
It is £338.58 a month if you are single and under 25, £424.90 if you are single and 25 or over, £528.34 for a couple both under 25, and £666.97 for a couple where one or both are 25 or over. Elements for children, housing, childcare, caring and health are added on top of this.
How much can I earn before Universal Credit stops?
There is no fixed cut-off — UC tapers away gradually. You keep your full award up to your work allowance (£427 a month if you get help with rent, £710 if you do not, and £0 if you have no children or health condition). Above that, every £1 of take-home pay cuts UC by 55p, so your award only reaches zero once your earnings are high enough to taper the whole amount away. The calculator’s “better off in work” table shows your own cut-off point.
How much savings can I have on Universal Credit?
Savings and capital up to £6,000 are ignored completely. Between £6,000 and £16,000, your UC is reduced by £4.35 a month for every £250 (or part of £250) above £6,000. If you have more than £16,000 you are not eligible for Universal Credit at all.
Was the two-child limit abolished?
Yes — from 6 April 2026 the two-child limit no longer applies, so you receive a child element for every dependent child, including third and subsequent children, whenever they were born. The child element is £303.94 a month, or £351.88 for a first child born before 6 April 2017.
Did Universal Credit go up in 2026?
Yes. From 6 April 2026 the standard allowances rose above inflation — a couple where one or both are 25+ went to £666.97 a month, for example — and the two-child limit was abolished. The health element (LCWRA) became two-tier: £217.26 a month for new awards and a protected £429.80 for those who qualified before April 2026. This calculator uses the 2026/27 rates.
Related calculators & guides
Sources — official UK figures
Last reviewed June 2026 against official rates · How we calculate →
This is a simplified estimate for guidance only, using 2026/27 rates. Real Universal Credit depends on a full DWP assessment including the benefit cap, non-dependant deductions, Local Housing Allowance limits on the housing element, and how earnings are reported in your assessment period. The housing figure here uses your entered rent and is not capped by your local LHA rate. For an official check, use the GOV.UK benefits calculators or contact Citizens Advice.