Universal Credit is replacing certain benefits in parts of the UK and will be rolled-out in phases between 2013 and 2017

Universal Credit is now available everywhere in Great Britain

An alphabetic list of jobcentre areas where you can claim Universal Credit is available here.

The roll-out of UC started in April 2013 with the launch of the Universal Credit pathfinder.

If you are already claiming any benefits you do not need to do anything - you will be told when Universal Credit will affect you.

Legacy Benefits

If you are claiming legacy benefits you will eventually be moved to Universal Credit.

Legacy benefits are:

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

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have started to send out notices to people getting tax credits or tax credits with other benefits to move onto Universal Credit. Over the next few years, everyone on Income Support, income-related ESA, income-based JSA, and Housing Benefit will be receiving this notice. People who get ESA and don't get any other benefits will probably be the last to be moved over.

This process is called Managed Migration.

You will first receive a leaflet from DWP telling you to get ready for Universal Credit. You will then receive a Notice Letter with a deadline date. The deadline date will normally be three months after the date the notice letter was sent.

It is important that you read this letter carefully and make a successful claim for Universal Credit by the deadline, but the timing of that claim can be important so that you can prevent gaps between claims. Your legacy benefits will stop after the deadline date.

Full details of the Managed Migration are available at the following links:

Universal Credit (UC) transitional protection

Transitional protection is designed to ease the transition for claimants moving from tax credits and other legacy benefits to universal credit under the formal managed migration exercise.

Transitional protection is made up of:

  • a transitional capital disregard for tax credit claimants
  • a transitional element
  • protections for claimants who are full-time students.

Transitional protection is only available to two groups of people:

  • You have a received a migration letter and made a successful claim for Universal Creditn you may be eligible for transitional protection.
  • you have a change in circumstances while you are receiving Severe Disability Premium, you may be eligible for the transitional element of Severe Disability Premium.

Full details of Universal Credit (UC) transitional protection are availlable at GOV.UK.

Furthe information is available at the following links:

Benefits Advice

If you would like further to talk to an advisor on any aspect of Benefits you can find an advisor in your area at Turn2Us.

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