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<p>Work is the best route out of poverty and for people to be more financially independent.
Our welfare reforms are part of the Government’s commitment to incentivise moves into
work and progression in work, and to better support working families.</p><p>The Department
completed an Impact Assessment titled ‘Welfare Reform and Work Bill: Impact Assessment
of the Benefit rate freeze’ in July 2015 which included information surrounding the
policy objectives and the intended effects. Benefits for the additional costs of disability,
and for carers, are exempt from the benefit freeze.</p><p>Currently the weekly rate
of Child Benefit is £20.70 for the eldest or only child and £13.70 for additional
children.</p><p>Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance and any additional
amounts which apply to claimants with certain circumstances, such as dependent children.
The current monthly rates for the requested Universal Credit components are shown
in the tables below.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Standard allowance</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Single
and under 25</p></td><td><p>£251.77</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Single and over 25</p></td><td><p>£317.82</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In
a couple and both under 25</p></td><td><p>£395.20 (for both)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In
a couple and either are 25 or over</p></td><td><p>£498.89 (for both)</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><strong>Child components</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>For the
first child</p></td><td><p>£277.08 (born before 6 April 2017) £231.67 (born on or
after 6 April 2017)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>For the second or other eligible children</p></td><td><p>£231.67</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>For
a disabled or severely disabled child</p></td><td><p>£126.11 or £392.08</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>We are unable to determine what each of the rates would have been had they
not been subject to a freeze, as the legacy system is not comparable with Universal
Credit.</p><p> </p>
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