People across the UK with a disability or health condition that affects their ability to work are being warned to act before a looming deadline or risk losing out on £2,472 per year.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) pays an extra amount per month to Universal Credit claimants who qualify for the Limited Capacity for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) element. This comes on top of the standard Universal Credit allowance and is currently worth up to £423.27.

But the government has announced changes to Universal Credit from April 2026, with the LCWRA element due to decrease for most people who aren’t already claiming it. From April 6, the DWP has confirmed the LCWRA element of Universal Credit will reduce from £423.27 per month down to £217.26.

The change means that those who make a claim for the benefit by April 5 will still qualify for the full £423.27 monthly payment, but those who miss the little-known deadline and apply after April 6 are set to miss out on £206.01 per month. Over a full year, this amounts to £2,472.12 less annually just for missing the deadline by a single day.

As such, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions who are eligible for the LCWRA payment are being urged to apply as soon as possible, as if you start claiming it before April 6, you’ll keep getting the higher amount.

Those who already have an active Universal Credit claim and receive LCWRA payments won’t be affected by the reduced payments from April.

Citizen’s Advice said: “You might get an additional payment with your Universal Credit called the ‘limited capability for work-related activity’ (LCWRA) element. This is £423.27 extra each month, but the amount will be smaller for most people who start getting it on, or after, 6 April 2026 – it will be £217.26 a month.

“If you’re eligible for the LCWRA element with Universal Credit, there’s usually a 3-month wait before you start getting it. You should apply as soon as possible because if you start getting it before 6 April 2026, you’ll keep getting the current higher LCWRA rate.

“Your last chance to report your health condition will be a date between 6 December 2025 and 5 January 2026. It depends on your situation.

“If you already get the LCWRA element, you don’t need to do anything. The amount you get will not go down because of the April 2026 changes.”

You don’t need a specific diagnosis to be eligible for a LCWRA payment, but your condition must be severe enough that it prevents you from doing work-related tasks.

The DWP explains: “If your health condition or disability limits how much work you can do for longer than 28 days you may need to have a Work Capability Assessment (WCA). The WCA is used to find out how much your health condition or disability affects your ability to work. It assesses what you can do, as well as what you cannot do.”

The government department adds: “If you have a WCA you’ll be sent a decision afterwards that says if you:

• are fit for work (also known as ‘capable for work’)
• have limited capability for work (LCW), but need to prepare to work in the future
• have limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA)

“If you get LCW you will not get any extra money unless all the following apply:

• you were receiving Universal Credit before 3 April 2017
• you were previously assessed as having LCW

“In some circumstances you can also get LCW if you’re moving from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to Universal Credit.

“If you get LCWRA, you may get extra money as well as your standard allowance of Universal Credit. If you are part of a couple and your partner already receives an LCWRA payment, you will not receive the extra money.”