An estimated £23 billion in benefits goes unclaimed in the UK every year, often because people assume they are not eligible, do not know a benefit exists, or find the system too complicated to check. This calculator brings together Universal Credit, Child Benefit, PIP and State Pension into one place, using your income, household and housing details to give an indicative estimate of what you could be entitled to.
Benefits Calculator
Check which benefits you may be entitled to and how much for 2026/27.
Your Situation
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💡 UC Housing Element is capped at the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) for your bedroom size and local area. Rates from GOV.UK 2026/27.
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This calculator provides estimates based on 2026/27 rates. Actual entitlement depends on individual circumstances. Use gov.uk or speak to Citizens Advice for a full assessment.
Standard Allowance, Elements and the Taper
The system deliberately spreads support across several separate benefits rather than one single payment, which is part of why so much goes unclaimed — someone can be correctly receiving Universal Credit and still be missing out on Child Benefit or PIP simply because nobody prompted them to check the others.
Universal Credit starts with a standard allowance based on your age and whether you claim as a single person or a couple, then adds extra amounts — called elements — for things like children, housing costs, disability or caring responsibilities. If you or your partner are working, a work allowance lets you earn a certain amount before your Universal Credit starts reducing: £417.98 a month if you do not get help with housing costs, or £695.59 a month if you do. Above that threshold, Universal Credit is reduced by 55p for every £1 earned — known as the taper rate — rather than stopping abruptly, so it is designed to reduce gradually as income rises rather than creating a hard cliff-edge.
The standard allowance itself is a fixed monthly amount that does not depend on where you live or your previous income — it is simply higher for couples than for single claimants, and higher again once either partner turns 25. Elements are added on top of this base amount rather than replacing it, so a household with children and a housing element could see their total award made up of several separate components stacked together, each calculated using its own rules.
Other Benefits Worth Checking
Universal Credit is not the only support available, and several other benefits run entirely independently of it:
Child Benefit — £27.05 a week for the first child and £17.90 a week for each additional child, though it is gradually clawed back through the tax system once either parent earns above £60,000.
PIP (Personal Independence Payment) — for people with a long-term health condition or disability, paid regardless of income or savings, at £114.60 or £76.70 a week for the daily living component depending on assessed need.
State Pension — the full new State Pension is £241.30 a week (£12,547.60 a year), though the actual amount depends on your National Insurance record and reaching State Pension age.
Many households qualify for more than one of these at the same time, and PIP in particular can unlock a higher work allowance or additional elements within Universal Credit itself.
Where People Miss Out
Underclaiming tends to cluster around a few common situations: people assuming that owning a small amount of savings rules them out entirely, when the capital limit for Universal Credit is £16,000 and only savings between £6,000 and £16,000 reduce the award rather than blocking it outright; self-employed claimants unsure whether irregular income counts, when it generally does but is assessed monthly rather than annually; and carers who do not realise that Carer’s Allowance can be claimed alongside Universal Credit rather than instead of it. Recently separated parents and those who have just had a change in working hours are also more likely to be entitled to something without having checked.
Another common gap is Pension Credit, which tops up the income of pensioners on a low income but has one of the lowest take-up rates of any means-tested benefit — partly because people assume the State Pension alone determines what they are entitled to, when Pension Credit can also unlock other help such as a free TV licence and reduced council tax. Checking eligibility takes only a few minutes and does not commit you to claiming.
Putting the Numbers Together
A single person aged 28, renting privately with no children and earning £1,200 a month, would have a standard allowance reduced by the taper on income above their work allowance, plus a separate contribution toward rent depending on the Local Housing Allowance rate for their area. A couple with two children, one earning £1,800 a month and claiming PIP for one partner, would see a considerably higher award once the child elements, any disability element, and a higher work allowance for housing costs are added — illustrating why two households on similar total income can receive quite different support depending on their specific circumstances.
These figures move in ways that are not always intuitive — a small pay rise near the taper threshold can reduce a Universal Credit award only gradually rather than sharply, while adding a housing element can raise the work allowance enough to keep more of the same pay rise. Running the actual numbers, rather than estimating by feel, is usually the only reliable way to see the net effect.
Once you have an estimate, our Budget Planner can help you see how it fits alongside your other income and outgoings, and if childcare costs are part of your situation, our Childcare Calculator covers the separate childcare element in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do savings affect my entitlement?
For Universal Credit, savings under £6,000 have no effect. Between £6,000 and £16,000, your award is reduced; above £16,000 you are not eligible for Universal Credit at all, though this limit does not apply to Child Benefit or PIP.
Can I claim Universal Credit while working?
Yes — Universal Credit is designed to support people in and out of work. Your award reduces gradually as your earnings rise above your work allowance, rather than stopping as soon as you start a job.
Does my partner’s income count?
Yes, Universal Credit is assessed on a household basis for couples, so both incomes and both sets of savings are taken into account together, even if only one partner is in work.
Is PIP means-tested?
No — PIP is based entirely on how a health condition or disability affects your daily life and mobility, not on your income or savings, so it can be claimed alongside other benefits without reducing them directly.
What counts as housing costs for Universal Credit?
Rent (private or social) is the most common, assessed against the Local Housing Allowance rate for your area and household size. Mortgage interest can also be covered after a qualifying period, though this is usually paid as a loan rather than a grant.
How often are benefit rates updated?
Most benefit rates are reviewed annually, typically increasing each April in line with inflation, though the government can announce changes at other points such as a Budget or Autumn Statement.
Will checking my entitlement affect an existing claim?
No — using an estimate calculator is purely informational and has no effect on any benefit you are already receiving. Only submitting an actual claim or reporting a change in circumstances to the DWP or HMRC affects your existing award.
Important Information
This calculator provides an indicative estimate for general information purposes only and does not constitute a benefits assessment or financial advice. Actual entitlement depends on a full assessment by the Department for Work and Pensions or HMRC, and can be affected by circumstances not covered here. For a full, personalised check, use the official GOV.UK benefits calculators or contact Citizens Advice. See our Disclaimer for further information.