Benefit and pension rates 2026–27
Official DWP rates and amounts for the current benefit year.
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Independent signposting hub for money help, benefits, debt support, budgeting, household bills, poverty statistics, public debt, government spending and UK financial transparency.
Useful help now
These are direct routes to official or established support relevant to this guide.
Overview
Independent signposting hub for money help, benefits, debt support, budgeting, household bills, poverty statistics, public debt, government spending and UK financial transparency.
1. Get Financial Help Now
- Cost of living help
- Debt help
- Budgeting support
- Emergency food and bills help
2. Debt Support
- Priority debts
- Rent arrears
- Council tax arrears
- Credit cards and loans
- Debt management plans
3. Benefits & Entitlements
- Universal Credit
- PIP
- ESA
- Pension Credit
- Carer benefits
4. Benefits Calculators
- Check what you may be entitled to
- Estimate support
- Check legacy benefits
- Low income support
5. Grants & Charitable Help
- Emergency grants
- Household goods
- Energy bill help
- Disability support
6. Food & Essentials
- Food banks
- Emergency food parcels
- Household Support Fund
- Local welfare assistance
7. Energy & Water Bills
- Energy debt
- Prepayment meters
- Warm Home Discount
- Water social tariffs
8. Housing Costs
- Rent arrears
- Mortgage problems
- Discretionary Housing Payments
- Eviction prevention
9. Public Debt & Borrowing
- Public sector net debt
- Government borrowing
- Debt interest
- Fiscal statistics
10. Household Debt Data
- Mortgage debt
- Consumer credit
- Debt-to-income ratio
- Bank lending data
11. Poverty Statistics
- Households below average income
- Child poverty
- Pensioner poverty
- Low income statistics
12. Government Spending
- Department budgets
- Public spending statistics
- Procurement and contracts
- Public accounts
13. Tax & HMRC
- Income Tax
- National Insurance
- Tax credits
- Self Assessment
- Tax debt support
14. Pensions & Retirement
- State Pension
- Pension Credit
- Pension Wise
- Retirement planning
15. Complaints & Regulators
- Banks and lenders
- Energy companies
- Water companies
- Financial complaints
16. Open Data & Research
- Open government data
- ONS economy data
- Bank of England data
- Parliament briefings
Public Finances Snapshot
| Measure | Latest figure in this hub | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public sector net debt | 95.1% of GDP, end May 2026 | Government debt compared with the size of the UK economy. | ONS Public Sector Finance |
| Public sector borrowing | £23.3 billion, May 2026 | How much the public sector borrowed in that month. | ONS Public Sector Finance |
| Debt interest payable | £11.7 billion, May 2026 | Central government cost of servicing debt for the month. | ONS Public Sector Finance |
| Household debt-to-income ratio | 117.2%, Q1 2026 | Household debt compared with disposable household income. | Commons Library Household Debt |
Poverty & Household Pressure Snapshot
- The DWP Households Below Average Income collection is the main official source for UK low-income household statistics.
- The Commons Library poverty briefing brings together UK poverty statistics and explanations for the public.
- The Joseph Rowntree Foundation UK Poverty report provides analysis of poverty trends, including adults, children and pensioners.
- Citizens Advice and MoneyHelper provide free public information on debt, budgeting and cost of living support.
What People Can Do
- Check benefits entitlement using a recognised benefits calculator.
- Prioritise rent, mortgage, council tax, energy, court fines and essential bills.
- Contact creditors early and ask for affordable repayment options.
- Get free debt advice before agreeing to unaffordable payment plans.
- Contact your council for local welfare assistance or Household Support Fund schemes.
- Keep letters, statements, screenshots and payment records.
- Use complaints routes if a bank, lender, energy company or public body treats you unfairly.