BETTER OFF CALCULATOR · 2026-27 DWP RATES

Are You Better Off in Work or on Benefits?

Free UK better-off calculator. Compare your household income on Universal Credit alone versus working — accounting for the taper rate, work allowance, housing element, child elements, and the benefit cap. 2026-27 rates verified from the DWP rate schedule. No sign-up, no email, no data leaves your browser.

£424.90UC standard allowance 25+

55%taper rate above work allowance

£427work allowance (with housing)

£217.26new LCWRA rate 2026

✓ Free to use — no sign-up

✓ No data sent — runs in your browser

✓ Verified 17 May 2026 against DWP 2026/27 rates

✓ Includes April 2026 LCWRA changes

✓ Includes Universal Credit Act 2025 uplift

Better Off Calculator

Step-by-step wizard covering household details, earnings, housing, children, health, and savings

Quick scenarios

See how it works with common household types

Calculate Your Situation

A few quick questions about your household — earnings, housing, children, health, and savings

Better-off calculations depend on roughly 20 facts about your household. We'll walk through them in 6 short steps and show you a clear comparison at the end.

Your answers stay in your browser. You can leave and come back; we'll save your progress automatically. None of this is sent to us or anyone else.

What you need to know: This calculator gives an estimate. It is not a substitute for advice from Citizens Advice, Turn2us, or a benefits adviser. Some circumstances are too complex for a self-service tool — at the end we'll point you to free human help if you need it.

Step 1 of 7

Personal Info

Your age

Relationship status

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Universal Credit and better-off calculations