Universal Credit benefit cap calculator

Step 1: Are you exempt?

Tick any that apply to you, your partner or a child living with you

Your UC includes the LCWRA element (limited capability for work and work-related activity) Someone gets PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance, Adult or Child Disability Payment, or Pension Age Disability Payment Your UC includes the carer element, or someone gets Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment Someone gets ESA with the support component, Industrial Injuries Benefit, a war pension, Guardian's Allowance or Armed Forces compensation You're over State Pension age (both of you, if you're a couple)

Step 2: Your earnings

Take-home pay from work each month

£a month

What reaches your bank account after tax and National Insurance. If you live with a partner, add their take-home pay too. Self-employed? Use your profit after tax and National Insurance.

Money you pay into a pension yourself each month

£a month

Payments you make into a personal pension from your bank account, including payments you're planning to make. Leave it blank if you don't. Don't include a workplace pension taken from your wages: that's already left out of your take-home pay.

Your earnings dropped in the last 9 monthsTick this if you earned £881 or more a month in each of the 12 months before you stopped work or your earnings fell. You get up to 9 months before the cap applies.

Step 3: Your household and benefits

Where do you live?

Outside Greater London Greater London

Who lives with you?

No one: I'm single, with no children living with me A partner, or children (or both)

Your Universal Credit each month

£a month

Take this from your Universal Credit statement, the monthly statement in your online account. Use the amount before any "benefit cap" deduction. Not on UC yet, or about to change your pension payments? The pension calculator can estimate it.

Children you get Child Benefit for

Child Benefit counts towards the cap: £27.05 a week for the eldest and £17.90 for each other child.

Childcare costs included in your UC

£a month

Shown on your Universal Credit statement as the childcare element. This part is protected from the cap. Leave it blank if you don't have it.

Other benefits that count towards the cap

£a month

Most people can leave this blank. It's for things like new style JSA, new style ESA without the support component, Maternity Allowance or Widowed Parent's Allowance.