Universal Credit is usually paid to you as a single monthly payment, but it’s made up of several different elements. Before you make a claim, it’s hard to give an accurate figure for how much Universal Credit you’ll get. It’s important to know the different allowances and elements you might be entitled to, how much you can get for each one, and how payments can be affected by other income and savings or income from working.

Universal Credit Standard Allowance

If you’re claiming Universal Credit, you’ll get one standard allowance for your household. The amount you will get in 2022-23 is:

• £265.31 a month for single claimants under 25
• £334.91 a month for single claimants aged 25 or over
• £416.45 a month for joint claimants both under 25
• £525.72 a month for joint claimants with either aged 25 or over.

Additional elements

On top of the standard allowance, you might get additional allowances. These include:

• child element
• childcare costs element
• limited capability for work-related activity element (LCWRA)
• limited capability for work and work element (not available for most new claimants after 3 April 2017)
• carer element
• housing costs element.

Child element

Are you looking after a child under the age of 16, or a qualifying young person under the age of 20? Then you qualify for the child element.

In 2022-23, the child element entitles you to:

• £290 a month for first or only child born before 6 April 2017
• £244.58 a month per child in all other circumstances.

You can only claim the child element for a maximum of two children. This is unless an exemption applies, such as a multiple birth, or you’ve adopted.

Childcare costs element

If you’re working, you can get up to 85% of your childcare costs paid for. In 2022-23, this is up to a maximum of £646.35 a month for one child, or £1108.04 a month for two or more children.

Limited capability for work and work-related activity element

You’ll get £354.28 a month (2022-23) if you satisfy the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and have a limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA).

Carer element

If you’re caring for a severely disabled person for at least 35 hours a week, you’ll get £168.81 a month (2022-23).

Housing costs element

The housing costs element helps you pay for all – or part – of your rent, and some service charges.

How much you get depends on where you live and if you’re a private or social tenant.

How much Universal Credit will I get if I’m working?

You can work as many hours as you want when claiming Universal Credit, but this might affect how much you get.

This depends on whether you qualify for a work allowance. This is the amount you can earn before you Universal Credit payment is affected.

Savings and Universal Credit

Do you or your partner have savings of over £6,000 (£10,000 if you’re over State Pension age)? Then your Universal Credit payment will start to be reduced.

If you or your partner have over £16,000 in savings, you won’t be entitled to any Universal Credit.

Debts and deductions taken from your Universal Credit payment

If you have certain debts, or benefits overpayments, then these can be deducted from your Universal Credit payment. 

You can see what is being deducted on your Universal Credit statement by logging into your online Universal Credit account. 

Universal Credit calculator

It’s difficult for us to give you an exact figure of how much Universal Credit you’ll get before you apply as the amount depends on your family life and other things, such as whether you're working.

Here are some calculators that can help you get a better idea:

• Get an estimate using the calculator at Policy in Practice
• Find out more about how much you’ll get at GOV.UK
• Use a benefits calculator to estimate all your entitlements, including Universal Credit, at GOV.UK