Millions of people will see their state benefits and pensions change today in an annual shake-up to the system.

State pensions will rise by £3.25 a week (old) or £4.25 (new), taking the rate up to £168.60 for the New State Pension.

Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Carers' Allowance are rising by around 2.4%.

And families on Universal Credit  will be up to £630 better off as the Work Allowance (the amount people can earn before benefits start to taper) rises by £1,000 a year.

But only families with dependent children and the disabled get work allowances. Childless couples – or those whose children have flown the nest – won't benefit from the rise.

And meanwhile, millions of people's benefits remain cruelly frozen for the fourth year in a row – which a major think tank today warns will "pull" families into poverty.

Bereavement support, jobseekers' allowance, income support and much of housing benefit and sickness payment ESA have no change.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation said it was "unjustifiable" for the freeze to continue for another year.

And it warned families living in poverty would be left an average £560 worse off as a result.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of the JRF said: "Keeping benefits and tax credits frozen is unjustifiable.

"Around 4.1 million children are now locked in poverty, nearly three quarters of whom are in a working household.

"The risks of economic uncertainty should not be allowed to disproportionally affect those with no leeway in their finances.

"Ending the freeze is the right thing to do and would have helped working families stay afloat.”

So which pension and benefit rates are rising from today – and by how much? Here's a full guide.

List of the main benefit and state pension rates in full

Here's how rates are due to change – stated weekly unless otherwise shown.

Attendance allowance: £87.65 (up from £85.60)           

Bereavement support payment: £2,500 or £3,500 lump sum (frozen)

Benefit cap: £23,000 a year in London / £20,000 outside (frozen)

Carers' allowance: £66.15 (up from £64.60)           

Disability Living Allowance: £148.85 maximum (up from 145.35)

Employment and Support Allowance: £73.10 basic for over-25s (frozen)              

ESA component for 'work-related activity' group: £29.05 (frozen)

ESA component for 'support' group: £38.55 (up from £37.65)          

ESA severe disability premium: £65.85 (up from £64.30)

Housing benefit: £73.10 for single people over 25; £114.85 for couples over 18 (frozen)

Jobseekers' allowance: £73.10 for over-25s, £57.90 under-25s (frozen)

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Maternity allowance: £148.68 (up from £145.18)           

Statutory maternity/paternity leave pay: £118 (up from £116)

PIP daily living enhanced: £87.65 (up from £85.60)

PIP daily living standard: £58.70 (up from £57.30)

PIP mobility enhanced: £61.20 (up from £59.75)

PIP mobility standard: £23.20 (up from £22.65)

New State Pension: £168.60 (up from £164.35)

Old State Pension: £129.20 (up from £125.95)

Pension credit: £167.25 minimum guarantee for a single person (up from £163)

What about Universal Credit?

Universal Credit combines many of the above benefits into one payment so it's more complex to explain.

Most non-disability rates and allowances are frozen, but it depends on circumsances.

And there is one big exception.

The work allowance – the amount disabled people or parents can earn per month before benefits start being clawed back – will rise from £198 to £287 a month.

For people who aren't paid housing costs, it will go up from £409 to £503 a month.

The rise is a total of £1,000 per year, allowing families to keep up to £630 of extra earnings over the year.

Universal Credit work allowances were raised after furious complaints by MPs who said the benefit was driving people into poverty.

However, childless claimants or those whose kids have flown the nest do not benefit from the work allowance.

Rates vary depending on circumstances. For the full breakdown of new rates from 8 April 2019 click here.

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