DWP letter hitting doorsteps imminently with major change to benefits
The DWP is currently in the midst of a large-scale operation to move Brits claiming "legacy benefits" onto the newer Universal Credit - this is known as "Managed Migration"
Thousands of Housing Benefit recipients are set to receive crucial correspondence from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The DWP is in the midst of transitioning individuals on "legacy benefits" to the more recent Universal Credit system, a process known as "Managed Migration". This shift is being executed in phases, with the focus turning in June to those solely on Housing Benefit, affecting roughly 100,000 claimants.
Beneficiaries must submit a Universal Credit claim within three months of getting their migration notice or risk losing their benefits. The DWP's schedule continues in July when people on Employment Support Allowance (ESA) with Child Tax Credits will be sent their notices, and those on Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) will follow in September.
Those receiving Tax Credits in addition to Housing Benefits began receiving their notices in April, giving them until July to lodge their Universal Credit application.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been gradually phasing out legacy benefits over the past few years, resuming the process last year after a brief pause due to the Coronavirus pandemic. At the time of the managed migration restarting, around 2.6 million people in the UK were still claiming old-style legacy benefits, reports the Mirror.
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The process was initially set to be completed by 2028, but the Government's plans changed earlier this year following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's 'Sick Note Generation' speech. Now, all migration notices will be sent by the end of December 2025.
Upon receiving your managed migration notice, you will have three months to submit a claim for Universal Credit. This can be done online or via phone by calling the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline on 0800 169 0328.
Alternatively, you can seek assistance from your local Job Centre for your application.
After submitting your claim, there is a five-week waiting period until your first Universal Credit payment, which will continue unless your circumstances change. Top-up payments are available for those who will be worse off claiming Universal Credit, and you can assess how the move will affect you using an online benefits calculator.
The DWP recommends three benefit calculators:
- Policy in Practice calculator
- entitledto calculator
- Turn2us calculator
