Universal Credit Changes 2026: Who Wins £725 and Who Loses £2,400 a Year? скачать в хорошем качестве

Universal Credit Changes 2026: Who Wins £725 and Who Loses £2,400 a Year?

4 million households face major Universal Credit changes from April 2026. Some will gain £725 a year - others will lose £2,400. Here's exactly who wins and who loses. Most people just "check their Universal Credit payment." But today, I'm going to show you how to perform what the DWP calls an LCW Assessment - that's Limited Capability for Work - which is just a way of asking: "Do I qualify for the health element, and should I claim it before the April 2026 deadline?" From my time advising large organisations, I've seen how what the system calls the Standard Allowance - basically, your base payment before any top-ups - often confuses people when major reforms like this roll out. In this video, I break down who gets the £725 annual boost to their standard allowance, why new health element claimants face a £2,400 yearly cut, which groups are completely protected from these changes, the critical April 2026 deadline that determines your rate forever, and the exact steps you need to take right now. With over 25 years of experience working with individuals and large organisations (including PwC, EY, and KPMG), I have seen how benefit system changes can devastate unprepared households. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Introduction 0:47 - The £725 Boost Explained 1:42 - The Health Element Cut 2:47 - Protected Groups 3:40 - Timeline of Changes 4:46 - What You Need to Do Now 6:18 - What These Numbers Really Mean 9:08 - Final Summary KEY TAKEAWAYS Standard allowance increases by £725 a year by 2029 for 4 million households New health element claimants after April 2026 get £50/week instead of £97/week Existing health claimants are protected at £97/week but frozen until 2029 Claim the health element before April 2026 to lock in the higher rate Protected groups include terminal illness and severe lifelong conditions RESOURCES Universal Credit information: https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit Citizens Advice benefits guidance: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ben... Benefits and Work claim help: https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH This video references data and policy changes from the following government bodies: DWP (Department for Work and Pensions): Used for Universal Credit rates and policy changes - https://www.gov.uk/government/organis... ABOUT ME My name is Saq Hussain, and I have over 25 years of experience in the UK pension industry, helping to shape pension and retirement strategies for some of the world's largest organisations. BACKGROUND & ROLES Strategic Advisor: EY (Ernst & Young) Pensions Former Director: UK Head of DC Pensions, Benefits & Wellbeing at PwC Pension & Benefits Consultant: Aon, Willis Towers Watson and KPMG Policy Advisor: Living Wage Foundation Pension Steering Group - developed the National Living Pension Standard - https://www.livingwage.org.uk/steerin... PRESS CITATIONS To verify my professional background, you can find my work and commentary at the following high-authority sources: Financial Times (FT Adviser): On pension charges and transparency - https://www.ftadviser.com/2014/04/15/... This Is Money (Daily Mail): On protecting retirees from scams - https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/p... The Express: On national budget impacts and pension sustainability - https://www.express.co.uk/news/politi... The Daily Telegraph: Retirement and money analysis - https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-da... CONNECT WITH ME Retirement & Pensions: https://financialeducation.co.uk Help & Advice: https://helpandadvice.co.uk Later Life Care Planning: https://ukcareguide.co.uk Property Wealth & Equity Release: https://equitymortgagerelease.co.uk LinkedIn:   / saq-hussain   LEGAL DISCLAIMER This video is for educational purposes only and does not constitute regulated financial advice. Benefits decisions are complex and individual circumstances vary. Always check your specific entitlements with Citizens Advice or the DWP before making any claims. This video reflects policy as announced for April 2026 and may be subject to change. If you found this helpful, please like, subscribe, and share with anyone who needs to understand these Universal Credit changes.