DWP urges Universal Credit claimants to make major switch now
Claimants who receive a migration notice by the DWP must apply for Universal Credit within the deadline or risk losing payments.
As claimants are set to make the switch from legacy benefits to Universal Credit, the final date has been pushed ahead, amid efforts to help some of the “most vulnerable”, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said.
The “managed migration” process was originally set for the end of March 2026, but has now been moved to the end of summer, giving ESA and housing benefit claimants slightly more time to switch.
The department guarantees that benefit claimants’ payments are kept during the shift to universal credit.
This included the closure of:
1. The working tax credit
2. Child tax credit
3. Income-based job seekers allowance
4. Income-related employment
5. Support allowance (ESA) including income support and housing benefit for working-age households
READ MORE: Nationwide makes big change for some accounts this week as rates announced
READ MORE: Garage forced to ration petrol as drivers flock to fill up
What this means for you
Anyone who receives a migration notice must apply for Universal Credit, typically within three months, to keep receiving financial support. Failing to do so could result in payments stopping.
Additional help is also available, including a dedicated helpline and home visits for those who need extra support.
The deadline for some claimants has now been extended, with social security and disability minister, Sir Stephen Timms, stating the change is designed to support the "most vulnerable" during the transition.
A 2024 report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) cautioned that any failure in moving people onto UC could cause “real-world misery for thousands.” At the time, DWP estimated around 4 per cent of claimants would not make the switch.
However, Timms added that the number of people on UC “has increased,” particularly for those “with no requirement to look for work.”
So far, more than 1.9 million people have been moved onto UC, including 135,000 people previously on income support and income-related jobseeker's allowance.
Figures show 8.34 million people were claiming the benefit in December 2025, up from 7.36 million a year earlier. Most of the increase came from people moving off older benefits rather than new claims.
The Government has described UC as a benefit that “better reflects today’s labour market and opens up a range of support to help people move closer to, or into work”.
The government will introduce previously announced welfare reforms in April, reducing the health element of UC to tackle what ministers call "perverse incentives," with expected savings of nearly £1 billion.
Plans to reform disability benefits were scaled back last year after opposition from Labour backbenchers. Instead, the Timms Review is gathering views on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), with any changes delayed until after it concludes.
The review is expected to report to Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden by autumn, with an interim update due beforehand.
