What's wrong
gov.dwp.universal_credit.elements.disabled.amount (the LCWRA element, £217.26 a month from April 2026) is uprated by gov.benefit_uprating_cpi from 2027-28, so the model projects £222.26 for 2027-28 and more each year after. The Universal Credit Act 2025 freezes it for 2026-27 to 2029-30.
The law
Universal Credit Act 2025 s. 3(1):
Subsections (1) and (2) of section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (annual up-rating of benefits) do not apply, in the tax years ending with 5 April 2026, 5 April 2027, 5 April 2028 and 5 April 2029, to the LCWRA element or the LCW element.
An up-rating order made under SSAA 1992 s. 150 in one tax year brings its changes into force from the first Monday of the next (s. 150(10)(a)(i)), and for Universal Credit from the first assessment period beginning on or after it (s. 150(10ZA)-(10ZB)). So the four disapplied reviews (2025-26 to 2028-29) are the ones that would have uprated the rates for 2026-27 to 2029-30. The section's heading says the same: "Freeze of LCWRA and LCW elements for tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30". DWP's 2026-27 rates confirm the first year: the LCW element stays at £158.76, while the lower disabled child addition, also £158.76 in 2025-26, rises to £164.79.
The review in 2029-30 is no longer disapplied, so the rates can be uprated again from April 2030 (2030-31).
Expected
- 2026-27 to 2029-30: £217.26 a month.
- 2030-31 on: uprated from £217.26 by one year's increase in the benefit uprating index each year, not by the increases of the frozen years too.
The LCW element is not modelled, so only the LCWRA amount changes. The protected amount for pre-2026 claimants (s. 4) is #2247 / #2248.
Found while reviewing #1925, whose continuity test skips this parameter for this reason.
What's wrong
gov.dwp.universal_credit.elements.disabled.amount(the LCWRA element, £217.26 a month from April 2026) is uprated bygov.benefit_uprating_cpifrom 2027-28, so the model projects £222.26 for 2027-28 and more each year after. The Universal Credit Act 2025 freezes it for 2026-27 to 2029-30.The law
Universal Credit Act 2025 s. 3(1):
An up-rating order made under SSAA 1992 s. 150 in one tax year brings its changes into force from the first Monday of the next (s. 150(10)(a)(i)), and for Universal Credit from the first assessment period beginning on or after it (s. 150(10ZA)-(10ZB)). So the four disapplied reviews (2025-26 to 2028-29) are the ones that would have uprated the rates for 2026-27 to 2029-30. The section's heading says the same: "Freeze of LCWRA and LCW elements for tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30". DWP's 2026-27 rates confirm the first year: the LCW element stays at £158.76, while the lower disabled child addition, also £158.76 in 2025-26, rises to £164.79.
The review in 2029-30 is no longer disapplied, so the rates can be uprated again from April 2030 (2030-31).
Expected
The LCW element is not modelled, so only the LCWRA amount changes. The protected amount for pre-2026 claimants (s. 4) is #2247 / #2248.
Found while reviewing #1925, whose continuity test skips this parameter for this reason.