Universal Credit managed migration

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have started to move people receiving legacy benefits to Universal Credit. This is called managed migration.  

Managed migration started in 2019 but stopped due to COVID-19. It restarted in July 2022 for people who live in specific areas and will gradually cover other areas across Britain.

Universal Credit is replacing the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Working Tax Credit

These benefits are now known as legacy benefits.

The  DWP will write to you when they want to move you to Universal Credit. This letter will tell you what you need to do. This is called a migration notice.

If you think you have received a migration notice, check that it is a migration notice instead of a different letter. A migration notice includes a deadline day for you to claim Universal Credit. The deadline day is three months after the date the notice was sent. You must claim Universal Credit by the date on your migration notice letter to continue getting financial support.

The three month deadline aims to gives you time to gather any information and evidence that you need to make your claim, such as identity documents and tenancy agreement. It may take time to gather all your documents and evidence to make your claim online, so you need to act as soon as possible.

If you cannot claim Universal Credit by the deadline date given on your letter, you should contact the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline as soon as possible.

If your Universal Credit is less than your current benefits you will receive a transitional amount to top up your Universal Credit. This is called transitional protection.

To get transitional protection, you must claim Universal Credit at the right time.

You can only get transitional protection if you claim Universal Credit after you have received a migration notice and follow the instructions in the letter.

Find out more about transitional protection

You will not need to have another Work Capability Assessment (WCA) when you move to Universal Credit if you have been receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), you have already completed a WCA, and you have been assessed whilst claiming ESA.

Work Capability assessments are regularly reviewed, and you may soon be due for one. Your review date stays the same even after you have claimed Universal Credit.

Once you claim Universal Credit (UC), your migration day is the day before the first day of UC entitlement. The UC claim will bring about the end of your entitlement to any legacy benefits you were getting.

If you claim before the deadline from the DWP, tax credits stop the day before you claim Universal Credit.

If you claim Universal Credit after the deadline from the DWP, tax credits stop the day before the deadline from the DWP.

The last payment dates are different if you receive the following benefits:

• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Your entitlement to these benefits will continue for two weeks after you have made a claim to Universal Credit. This means you may receive payments from your existing benefits for another two weeks after you’ve made your claim. If any further payments are due, they will be made shortly after your entitlement ends.

If you haven’t claimed UC by the deadline day (or extended deadline day) your legacy benefits will terminate.

It is a good idea to get help and advice as soon as you receive a formal migration notice.

You can contact the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline on 0800 169 0328, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Citizens Advice Help to claim advisers can help you with the early stages of your Universal Credit claim. You can talk to them online over chat, on the phone open, Monday to Friday between 8am to 6pm

• England: 0800 144 8 444
• Scotland: 0800 023 2581
• Wales: 08000 241 220

You find your local advice centre on Advice local.

You can also speak to your CF team or contact our Helpline.