People on these benefits will be moved to Universal Credit amid the welfare reforms, but they’ll need to act as this won’t be automatic
While the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Bill is making headlines in Parliament, the migration to Universal Credit is quietly underway. This managed migration kicked off in May 2022 with the goal of shifting all recipients of six legacy benefits onto the Universal Credit system.
The DWP aims to send out migration notices to all remaining claimants by the end of this year, with a view to shutting down all legacy benefits by March 2026. Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit have already been phased out due to the migration. However, claimants of four other benefits are still being transferred and should expect a letter from the DWP if they haven’t received one yet.
The following benefits are set to end soon as part of the Universal Credit migration:
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Housing Benefit
People claiming these benefits who are affected by the migration will be sent a migration notice letter from the DWP. It’s crucial that people don’t ignore this letter, as the migration won’t be automatic and your benefits will end even if you decide not to claim Universal Credit.
The letter you’ll receive will include a personal deadline date, which is the final day you can apply for Universal Credit and still be eligible for transitional protection. You’re free to apply for the benefit after this date or even before receiving a migration notice, but you’ll miss out on this safeguard.
The DWP clarifies: “As you’ve received a Migration Notice letter some of the normal eligibility rules for claiming are different. This is part of ‘transitional protection’.”
This transitional protection is designed to make sure that individuals receive the same amount on Universal Credit as they did from their previous benefits, regardless of whether they fit the new criteria, to prevent anyone from being worse off due to the change.
Take, for instance, if you were getting £140.55 weekly on ESA but under Universal Credit’s standard rules, you’re only entitled to £100, you’d receive an extra £40.55 per week as transitional protection.
Should you find yourself unable to apply before your transitional protection deadline, it’s crucial to ring the Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline at 0800 169 0328. If you have a valid reason and contact them before your deadline, you might be granted an extension.
To claim Universal Credit, you can go online and set up a Universal Credit account. Remember, you must finish your application within 28 days of creating the account. Alternatively, you can apply over the phone using the Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline.
The shift to Universal Credit is still ongoing, with a significant overhaul planned for next year. The proposed alterations in the forthcoming Bill will slash and freeze the health component rate for new claimants from April 2026.
Those already receiving the benefit before the change comes into effect will be shielded from the reduction. Considering the government’s plan to send out all migration notices by December 2025 and wrap up all legacy benefits by March 2026, those transitioning to Universal Credit should also be safeguarded by this concession.