Which LCWRA rate applies?
There are now two. The tracked figure is: £217.26/mo for NEW claims from April 2026 · £429.80/mo protected rate (existing claimants, severe conditions, terminal illness). Which one you get depends on when your LCWRA element started, not on your current circumstances alone. Last checked against the official source on 2026-08-11.
Why two amounts exist
Because until 6 April 2026 there was only one LCWRA rate for everyone. Pages written before the split, and AI answers trained on them, still quote that single number. It is not wrong historically, it is simply out of date for a claim starting now. This site tracks the current figure as a dated entry: UC limited capability for work element (LCWRA) (with JSON), against its official source: the DWP publication.
The recent amounts, in order
| From | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-06 | £217.26/mo for NEW claims from April 2026 · £429.80/mo protected rate (existing claimants, severe conditions, terminal illness) | CURRENT to 2027-04-05 |
| 2025-04-07 | £423.27 (all claimants) | expired |
| 2024-04-08 | £416.19 | expired |
If you were already receiving LCWRA
No. The protected rate applies to claimants who were already receiving the LCWRA element, and to those with severe lifelong conditions or a terminal illness. The lower amount applies to claims starting on or after 6 April 2026.
When it changes next
The figures above run to 2027-04-05. UC Act 2025 roughly halved and froze the new-claim rate (frozen until 2029/30); existing claimants keep the uprated rate. This page is generated from the tracked figure, so it changes on the day the rate does.
Cite this figure
The current UC LCWRA element is £217.26/mo for NEW claims from April 2026 · £429.80/mo protected rate (existing claimants, severe conditions, terminal illness) (per month), effective 2026-04-06 to 2027-04-05. Source: DWP (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-and-pension-rates-2026-to-2027/proposed-benefit-and-pension-rates-2026-to-2027), via UK Rates & Thresholds (rates.trycashpilot.com), checked 2026-08-11.