OnDemand: The Universal Credit Conference 2026
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2026 Overview
The benefit and welfare system in the UK is entering a period of substantial reform. Major legislative changes in 2025–26 will reshape Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), with significant implications for claimants and practitioners alike. Notably, the proposed removal of the two-child benefit cap from April 2026, will enable families with larger households to access full child benefits.
2026 Agenda
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Adele Atkinson, Professor of Practice in Financial Literacy and Wellbeing, CHASM, University of Birmingham
Keynote: Building Financial Resilience and Local Anti-Poverty Strategies
- Examining why Universal Credit alone cannot always prevent financial crisis
- Understanding the role of Local Welfare Assistance, the Crisis and Resilience Fund and other crisis support mechanisms
- Exploring how local authorities are responding to rising hardship and supporting vulnerable households
- Discussing how local anti-poverty strategies can complement Universal Credit and improve long-term financial resilience
- Looking ahead to the future of crisis funding and the implications for local communities
Penny Rimmer, Senior Policy Officer, Resolve Poverty
Izzie Salter, PHD Intern, Resolve Poverty
Keynote: Navigating the Job Market with Universal Credit Recipients
- Tackling obstacles to employment for recipients, such as childcare accessibility, inaccessibility to technology, limited transport and lack of opportunity
- Offering training to Universal Credit claimants to develop relevant and transferable skills in line with their qualifications
- Creating partnerships with local businesses to identify recruitment needs and create entry-level employment positions
- Providing claimants with personal support from a work coach to assist a move into work, find a better job or build a career
Susan Paterson, Executive Director, Fedcap Employment
Questions & Answers
Comfort Break
Keynote: Disability Support and Health Elements in Universal Credit
- Examining recent research showing how cuts to PIP and Universal Credit will affect disabled households
- Discussing the implications of halving the new Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity for new claimants
- Outlining how the forthcoming review of PIP assessment and eligibility criteria will shape access to support for claimants with complex needs
- Identifying best practice for local advisers supporting claimants through reassessment and benefit planning
Evan John, Policy and Public Affairs Advisor, Sense
Keynote: Universal Credit, Food Banks and an ‘Essentials Guarantee’
- Examining the relationship between Universal Credit design and food bank demand, including how payment delays and deductions drive the need for emergency support
- Discussing how current benefit levels compare to the cost of essentials and the role this plays in driving hunger and hardship
- Analysis of recent policy changes, including the removal of the Two-Child Limit, and the impact on food bank need
- Exploring future policy responses, such as an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ and how to reduce the need for food banks through changes to Universal Credit design
Beatrice Orchard, Head of Programme (Social Security and Work), Trussell Trust
Questions & Answers
Lunch Break
Keynote: 2026 Universal Credit Policy Updates
- Developing an understanding of how the proposed removal of the two-child limit in 2026 will financially boost household incomes and reduce child poverty
- Outlining the latest Westminster welfare reforms that uprate the Universal Credit standard allowance above inflation and introduce new protections for severely disabled claimants
- Discussing how Universal Credit conditions apply across claimant cohorts, particularly single parents and disabled people
- Examining how changes to Universal Credit rates and eligibility interact with local authority delivery pressures
Debbie Abrahams MP, Chair, Work and Pensions Committee
Keynote: Post-Migration Universal Credit Support
- The complexity within the benefits system
- The role of stigma within the social security system and its impact on engagement with Universal Credit
- Increasing take-up of Universal Credit
Thomas Lawson, Chief Executive Officer, Turn2Us
Questions & Answers
Comfort Break
Case Study: Dying in Poverty: Navigating End-of-Life Support in the Benefits System
- Discussing the reality of dying in poverty with rising costs and lost income and the impact on patient and families
- Exploring access to financial support at end of life, including Special Rules for End of Life, Personal Independence Payment, and Universal Credit and the challenges around delays and eligibility
- Highlighting gaps in the system, including inconsistent identification of people nearing end of life and the complexity of navigating multiple benefits systems
- Identifying opportunities for reform, such as earlier support and better integration between the health and the welfare system
Becca Stacey, Senior Policy Manager, Financial Security, Marie Curie
Case Study: Rethinking Welfare: The Case for Universal Basic Income
- Exploring the economic rationale behind Universal Basic Income and its potential to reshape the welfare system
- Analysing potential key outcomes and challenges of Universal Basic Income
- Comparing Universal Basic Income with alternative social welfare approaches across different policy contexts
- Assessing media reactions to Universal Basic Income
Rajiv Prabhakar, Senior Lecturer in Personal Finance, Open University
Questions & Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Adele Atkinson, Professor of Practice in Financial Literacy and Wellbeing, CHASM, University of Birmingham
Conference Close
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2026 Speakers
Penny Rimmer
Senior Policy Officer
Resolve Poverty
Dr Rajiv Prabhakar
Senior Lecturer In Personal Finance
The Open University
Adele Atkinson
Professor of Practice in Financial Literacy and Wellbeing, CHASM
University of Birmingham
Evan John
Policy and Public Affairs Advisor
Sense
Susan Paterson
Executive Director
Fedcap Employment
Beatrice Orchard
Head of Programmes
Trussell Trust
Thomas Lawson
Chief Executive Officer
Turn2Us
Becca Stacey
Senior Policy Manager, Financial Security
Marie Curie
Testimonials
I really found this Conference very helpful and enlightening, with good speakers who have experienced and grown their agencies and obviously have a passion to help people. Most encouraging and inspiring. Very well done
A very well-planned conference with a good amount of information on each subject covered.
Varied content that linked back to supporting people to improve their financial situations, extremely valuable.
Great event! So much information shared that will be genuinely helpful in our work.
