Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that inflation-linked benefits and tax credits for 2026–27 will be uprated in line with the consumer prices index rate of inflation for September.

The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review benefit and State Pension rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. Where the relevant benefit or State Pension rates have not retained their value, legislation provides that the Secretary of State is required to, or in some instances may, up-rate their value. Following this review, benefit and State Pension rates are increased in line with statutory minimum amounts and others are increased subject to Secretary of State’s discretion.

By convention, these discretionary benefits are typically increased annually in line with the increase in prices as measured by the increase in CPI in the year to September. The outcome of Secretary of State’s statutory up-rating review will be announced in the Autumn. The Uprating Order, which seeks Parliamentary approval of her decisions, is usually laid upon return from recess in January and the new rates will enter into force from 6 April 2026.

Tax Credits ended 5 April 2025.