DWP writing to millions of people about Universal Credit shake-up in December

Millions of claimants look set to be contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over a major Universal Credit shake-up. The DWP is currently in the process of moving more than two million people from their older benefits to Universal Credit.

The DWP plans to have contacted everyone affected by the next stage of the so-called "managed migration" process by December 2025. Claimants impacted will receive a "migration notice" letter from the DWP, giving you three months to make the switch.

Universal Credit is replacing six benefits, including legacy benefits like Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit.

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Three months after receiving the migration notice, your current benefits will cease. If a person has not claimed Universal Credit by their deadline, but does so within one month, they are treated as having claimed on time and can still get transitional protection in their Universal Credit award.

A person’s entitlement to legacy benefits/tax credits ends when they claim Universal Credit, or on the day before their deadline if they have not claimed Universal Credit. Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA and Housing Benefit continue to be paid for two weeks after entitlement ends, however.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has been monitoring claimants’ and advisers’ experiences of managed migration. Earlier this year, CPAG called on the DWP to slow down its plans for managed migration in 2024/25 to avoid vulnerable claimants “falling through the cracks” and losing their entitlement.

The group spoke out in February of this year and also said this would give the department time to clarify remaining ambiguities about how the policy will be delivered and put in place an intensive support package so that all claimants can safely migrate to Universal Credit.