GeraCash / UC benefit calculator / Couple, 25+, one child + carer element
Universal Credit: Couple, 25+, one child + carer element
Maximum UC award at zero earnings: £1122.59/month. Taper-out point: £2725.07/month. DWP 2025–26 rates. Enter your earnings below for a personalised estimate.
How much Universal Credit can a couple, 25+, one child + carer element household claim in 2025–26?
A couple, 25+, one child + carer element household in the UK can claim up to £1122.59/month in Universal Credit at zero earnings under DWP 2025–26 rates (from April 2025), reducing at a 55% taper above the £684 higher work allowance. Source: DWP benefit and pension rates 2025–26, Open Government Licence v3.0.
UC award breakdown — Couple, 25+, one child + carer element (2025–26)
| Element | Monthly amount (£) |
|---|---|
| Standard allowance (couple, one/both 25+) | £628.10 |
| Child element | £292.81 |
| Carer element | £201.68 |
| Total UC award (zero earnings) | £1122.59 |
UC taper curve at different earnings levels
| Monthly earnings | UC award | Total income (earnings + UC) |
|---|---|---|
| £0.00 | £1122.59 | £1122.59 |
| £200.00 | £1122.59 | £1322.59 |
| £400.00 | £1122.59 | £1522.59 |
| £600.00 | £1122.59 | £1722.59 |
| £800.00 | £1058.79 | £1858.79 |
| £1000.00 | £948.79 | £1948.79 |
| £1200.00 | £838.79 | £2038.79 |
| £1500.00 | £673.79 | £2173.79 |
| £2000.00 | £398.79 | £2398.79 |
Work allowance: £684/month (higher rate — no housing costs element in UC). Taper rate: 55%. DWP 2025–26.
Personalised UC estimate
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Universal Credit — Couple, 25+, one child + carer element: frequently asked questions
- How much Universal Credit does a couple, 25+, one child + carer element household get?
- At zero earnings, a couple, 25+, one child + carer element household can receive up to £1122.59/month in Universal Credit under DWP 2025–26 rates. This includes Standard allowance (couple, one/both 25+): £628.10; Child element: £292.81; Carer element: £201.68. The award reduces at a 55% taper rate on earnings above the work allowance (£684/month (higher rate — no housing costs element in UC)).
- What is the taper-out point for a couple, 25+, one child + carer element household?
- UC reduces to £0 when monthly earnings reach approximately £2725.07 for this household type, under the 2025–26 DWP taper rate (55% above the work allowance of £684/month (higher rate — no housing costs element in UC)). Beyond this point you would not receive UC, but you would keep all your earnings.
- What work allowance applies to a couple, 25+, one child + carer element household?
- The higher work allowance of £684/month (higher rate — no housing costs element in UC) applies. This means the first £684/month of monthly earnings is disregarded before the 55% taper is applied.
- Does this UC estimate include council tax support?
- No. Council Tax Reduction (CTR) is a separate means-tested scheme run by each local council; amounts vary by area and are not published as a national table. This calculator shows only Universal Credit awards based on published DWP rates. To check your council tax support, visit gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction.
- How is the Gera Net Support Index calculated?
- The Gera Net Support Index (GNSI) is computed as: GNSI = min(100, maxUC ÷ 10), where maxUC is the maximum UC award at zero earnings. For a couple, 25+, one child + carer element household the maximum UC award is £1122.59/month, giving a GNSI of 100/100. See the full methodology at https://geracash.com/methodology/gera-net-support-index.
Compare other household types
- Single, under 25, no children (£316.98/mo max)
- Single, 25 or over, no children (£400.14/mo max)
- Single, 25 or over, limited capability for work (£558.90/mo max)
- Single, 25 or over, LCWRA (£823.41/mo max)
- Single, 25+, one child (born after April 2017) (£692.95/mo max)
- Single, 25+, one child (born before April 2017) (£739.14/mo max)
- Single, 25+, one child + LCWRA (£1116.22/mo max)
- Single, 25+, two children (£985.76/mo max)
- Single, 25+, two children + LCWRA (£1409.03/mo max)
- Single, 25+, one child + carer element (£894.63/mo max)
- All 45 household types →
Methodology
All figures use published DWP 2025–26 standard allowance and element rates. The taper rate (55%) and work allowances (£684 higher / £411 lower) are exact DWP-published values. The Gera Net Support Index is computed as min(100, maxUC ÷ 10). Council tax support is excluded as it varies by local authority and is not nationally published as a single table. Full methodology.
Contains public sector information published by Department for Work & Pensions and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DWP — Benefit and pension rates 2025 to 2026 (Tax year 2025–26 (from April 2025), published 21 November 2024).