Universal Credit Calculator

Estimate your monthly Universal Credit for 2026/27, see how much you lose when you earn more, and check the benefit cap, savings rules and work allowance.

Reviewed by Dany, RightSums team · Updated

Runs in your browser. Free, no sign-up.

salary-tax · Daily life · UK

Enter who lives with you, your children, rent, take-home pay and savings. The calculator adds up each 2026/27 element (standard allowance, children, health, carer, childcare and housing), takes off 55% of pay above any work allowance, counts £4.35 a month for every £250 of savings over £6,000, and applies the benefit cap with its exemptions. It shows the monthly award line by line, a table of what happens if you earn £100, £250, £500 or £1,000 more, and what would change the amount. The two-child limit ended on 6 April 2026, and health element rules changed for new claims. This is an estimate for a new claim in Great Britain. The DWP decides your award, and self-employment, students, pension age and people from abroad are not modelled.

Accepted inputs

  • Single or couple, and age band
  • Number of children, including disabled children and a first child born before 6 April 2017
  • Health (work capability) and caring for someone 35 hours a week
  • Rent, service charges and Local Housing Allowance rate
  • Spare bedrooms (social renters) and other adults living with you
  • Take-home pay a month
  • Savings and investments
  • New-style JSA or ESA and other unearned income
  • Registered childcare costs
  • Benefit cap details (London, exempt benefits, grace period)

Outputs

  • Estimated monthly Universal Credit
  • Line-by-line breakdown of each element
  • Work allowance and 55% taper deduction
  • Assumed income from savings
  • Benefit cap check and reduction
  • Table of UC if you earn more
  • Eligibility checks
  • Tips on what would change the amount
  • Links to GOV.UK-listed calculators and Help to Claim

How to use the Universal Credit Calculator

  1. Tell the calculator if you claim alone or as a couple, your age band, your children and any health condition or caring role.
  2. Add your rent and Local Housing Allowance rate if you rent privately, or your spare bedrooms and other adults if you rent from a council or housing association.
  3. Enter your monthly take-home pay after tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, your savings, any other income and any registered childcare you pay for.
  4. Read your estimated monthly award with every element and deduction listed, the benefit cap result, and a table showing how much you keep when you earn more.

Frequently asked questions

How much Universal Credit will I get a month?

A single person aged 25 or over with no income, savings or rent gets the standard allowance of £424.90 a month in 2026/27. Under 25 it is £338.58. Couples get £666.97, or £528.34 if both are under 25. Extra amounts are added for children, rent, childcare, caring and some health conditions, then income is taken off.

How much Universal Credit do I lose if I earn more?

55p for every extra £1 of take-home pay above your work allowance. A couple with 2 children, £900 rent and £1,500 take-home gets about £1,584.70 a month. Earning £100 more cuts UC to £1,529.70, so they keep £45. The work allowance is £427 a month with housing help, or £710 without, if you have children or limited capability for work.

How does the benefit cap affect Universal Credit?

It limits total benefits to £1,835 a month for families outside London (£2,110.25 in London). A single parent with 3 children, £1,100 social rent and no earnings would get £2,436.72 of UC plus £272.35 Child Benefit, so UC is cut by £874.07 to £1,562.65. Taking home £881.23 a month lifts the cap, as do PIP, DLA or Carer's Allowance.

How do savings affect Universal Credit?

Savings under £6,000 are ignored. Between £6,000 and £16,000, every £250 or part of £250 counts as £4.35 a month of income. With £10,100 saved, that is 17 blocks, or £73.95 a month, so a single person aged 25 or over would get £350.95 instead of £424.90. Over £16,000 you cannot usually claim.

Is the two-child limit still in place for Universal Credit?

No. The two-child limit ended on 6 April 2026, so UC now pays £303.94 a month for every child. A couple with 5 children, £900 rent and £1,500 take-home pay would get about £2,496.52 a month; their pay is above £881, so the benefit cap does not apply. A higher £351.88 is still paid for a first child born before 6 April 2017.

Sources

The rates and rules in this tool come from:

Terms explained

  • Council Tax Reduction: Council Tax Reduction is a means-tested scheme, run by councils, that can cut the Council Tax bill by up to 100% for people on low incomes or benefits.

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