Exact amount benefits payments for parents will rise in 2024
Charlotte Thomas
Deputy Editorial DirectorMillions of parents will get a cash boost this year as benefits – including Child Benefit and Tax Credits – are due to rise
All benefits including Child Benefit, Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit will increase by 6.7% in April 2024. And this means parents who receive benefits from HMRC or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will see a rise in their payments.
Speaking in his Autumn Statement in November, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: 'The government has decided to increase Universal Credit and other benefits from next April by 6.7% in line with September’s inflation figure, an average increase of £470 for 5.5m households next year.'
Here's how much your Child Benefit, Child Tax Credits, Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance could increase by.
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Child Benefit
Child Benefit is an allowance issued for parents living in the UK who are responsible for a child under 16.
At the moment, parents get £24 per week for their first child and £15.90 per each additional child.
New amounts
In April 2024 this will increase to:
- £25.60 per week for the first child
- £16.95 per week per additional child
This means parents of one child will get an extra £83.20 per year and parents of two children will get an extra £138.84 per year.
To qualify for Child Benefit, you must either live with the child or be paying at least the same amount as Child Benefit towards looking after them. This includes food costs, clothes, and pocket money.
Only one parent or guardian can receive Child Benefit per child. Currently, there is no limit to how many children parents can claim the benefit for.
Child Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit is a benefit to help with the cost of raising a child. It is only paid to those who already get Working Tax Credit.
The amount you'll get depends on your circumstances, including how many children you have and when they were born.
If all your children were born before 6 April 2017, the government says:
'You could get the "child element" of Child Tax Credit for all of your children.
'You’ll also get the basic amount, known as the "family element".'
However, if one or more of your children were born on or after 6 April 2017, you'll only get the child element of Child Tax Credit for up to two children (some exceptions apply).
You won't get the family element unless at least one of your children was born before 6 April 2017.
New amounts
In April 2024 Child Tax Credit amounts will rise to:
- Child Tax Credit family element stays at £545
- Child Tax Credit child element £3,455 a year – up from £3,235 a year
- Child Tax Credit disabled child element £4,170 a year – up from £3,905 a year (this is on top of the child element)
- Child Tax Credit severely disabled child element £1,680 a year – up from £1,575 a year (this is on top of the child and disabled child element)
Tax Credits are a legacy benefit and have been replaced by Universal Credit for new claimants. People who are on legacy benefits are being gradually swapped over.
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a benefit paid to people on a low income to help with living costs. You might be able to get Universal Credit if you are working, are looking for work or can’t work.
People on the benefit are paid a standard rate depending on their age and circumstances. You can also get an extra amount for children. This extra amount is for up to two children unless they were born before 6 April 2017, although some exceptions apply.
You can also get help with childcare costs if you’re working and claiming Universal Credit.
New amounts
In April 2024 Universal Credit amounts will rise to:
Standard allowance
- If you're single and aged under 25 £311.68 per month – up from £292.11
- If you're single and aged 25 or over £393.45 per month – up from £368.74
- If you live with your partner and you're both under 25 £489.23 per month – up from £458.51
- If you live with your partner and one or both of you are 25 or over £617.60 per month – up from £578.82
Child amounts
- If your first child was born before 6 April 2017 £333.33 per month – up from £315
- If your child was born on or after 6 April 2017 or the amount for a second child and subsequent child £287.92 per month – up from £269.58
- If your child is disabled, the lower rate addition payment will rise to £156.11 – up from £146.31
- The higher disabled child rate will rise to £487.58 per month – up from £456.89
Childcare costs
You will be able to claim back up to 85% of childcare costs if you're working.
- For one child a maximum of £1,014.63 per month – up from £950.92
- For two or more children a maximum of £1739.37 per month – up from £1630.15
#UniversalCredit Childcare now offers even more support https://t.co/CL4PW9clES pic.twitter.com/v7NHLPNXMU
— Department for Work and Pensions (@DWPgovuk) December 21, 2023
Carer's Allowance
If you are caring for your child or someone else for at least 35 hours per week and they are claiming certain benefits, you could be entitled to Carer’s Allowance.
You don't need to be related to the person you claim for but they must be getting one of the following benefits. You can't get Carer’s Allowance if you are already getting the extra amount of Universal Credit for caring for someone who gets a disability-related benefit
- Child Disability Payment – the middle or highest care rate
- Adult Disability Payment – daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate
- Personal Independence Payment – daily living component
- Disability Living Allowance – the middle or highest care rate
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
New amount
The new amount from April 2024 will be:
- £81.89 per week – up from £76.75
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