DWP manage migration to Universal Credit to start in a few weeks
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Changes are on the horizon for Universal Credit claimants, with policy and benefits shifts pushing many towards Universal Credit from their existing support arrangements. The move, termed 'managed migration', will see legacy benefits phased out for new claimants.
These encompass a selection of payments previously offered through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), such as Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Housing Benefit, Working Tax Credit, and Child Tax Credit.
You can find more comprehensive information on the transition to Universal Credit and any payment increases for current recipients below....
Universal Credit migration
The DWP is stepping up its efforts in the transition to Universal Credit. Initially, the DWP commenced the process with 60,000 notifications in February, with plans to intensify this figure to 83,000. Resolute on completing the migration, the final batch of notices is anticipated to be distributed by September.
The DWP stated that this gradual progression will "allow a little more time before the end of March 2026 to provide support for our more vulnerable customers and complete the migration of ESA cases to Universal Credit".
The DWP has allocated an extra £15 million to the Help to Claim initiative, bolstering support for over 800,000 people transitioning from ESA to Universal Credit by March 2026, which is two years earlier than the original 2028 deadline.
Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister for Social Security and Disability, recently stated: "This funding boost will support many people as they make the move from old benefits to Universal Credit - ensuring customers feel confident and informed throughout the application process."
He urged claimants to be proactive, saying: "I want to encourage anyone receiving a migration notice over the coming months to act without delay to secure quick access to benefit entitlement."
Sir Stephen also highlighted broader reforms, adding: "The biggest reforms to employment support for a generation will also ensure more people get the help they need to get into work and on at work, by overhauling Jobcentres, tackling inactivity with local work, health and skills plans, and delivering a Youth Guarantee."
The Help to Claim service is dedicated to providing expert guidance to those starting a new Universal Credit claim or transitioning from an older benefits system. The service ensures continuity of support until the claimant receives their first correct payment.
Payment increase
Labour has confirmed that the standard allowance of Universal Credit will surpass the rate of inflation for the remainder of the current government's term. Baroness Maeve Sherlock said: "The proposed increases are inflation (measured by CPI), plus: 2.3 percent in 2026/27, 3.1 percent in 2027/28, 4.0 percent in 2028/29 and 4.8 percent in 2029/30.
"As such, in each year, the rates will be what they would have been under CPI uprating and then increased by the relevant percentage figure."
The current Universal Credit rate is:
Single and under 25 - £316.98
Single and 25 or over - £400.14
Couple both under 25 - £497.55 (for you both)
Couple if either partner are 25 or over £628.10 (for you both)
Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
Find out what's happening near you
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Starmer says brother's school struggles ‘shaped my life'
The Prime Minister said his younger brother's story had 'shaped' his life as he welcomed Sir Lewis Hamilton to Downing Street for a roundtable discussion on supporting young people in education. Nick Starmer, who had learning difficulties because of complications at birth, died aged 60 last year, after being diagnosed with cancer. Sir Keir said he knew from his brother how much 'resilience and personal courage' was required to deal with struggles at school. '(My brother) really struggled at school — and had difficulties learning, not because of a learning difficulty, but because then in his time he was pushed to one side and treated as someone who would never learn,' he said. 'He struggled a lot as a result of that. You might think someone who sits here as Prime Minister has no idea what it's like to struggle at school, but I know from my own brother what it was like, and how much resilience and personal courage he had to have. 'That shaped his life, and shaped my life as well'. In discussion with a group of young people and the Formula One racing driver, whose Mission 44 charity aims to make the education system more inclusive, Sir Keir said he would keep them in 'our mind's eye' when formulating policy. 'As I said to some of you earlier, sometimes politics is about big decisions, policies, data analysis, and speeches,' he said. 'But, most of the time, it's about who do you have in your mind's eye when you make a decision?' The Prime Minister added: 'I will take away the work that Lewis is doing. The importance of your discussions — whether in this advisory or elsewhere — so that we have got you in our mind's eye when we make decisions about what to do, so let's get on with it.' As part of the talks, Sir Keir said the Government would develop a 'best practice framework' to 'help schools increase pupil engagement', Downing Street said. The meeting came as the Department for Education expanded its free school meals programme to ensure all pupils in England whose families claim Universal Credit will be eligible for the scheme. Campaigners and education leaders had argued the move was necessary to ease pressures on young people living in poverty. Labour has also been facing pressure, including from within party ranks, to abolish the two-child benefit cap amid record highs in child poverty. Sir Keir has indicated he is considering scrapping the limit amid the prospect of a backbench rebellion, but declined to give further details ahead of the publication of the Government's flagship child poverty strategy in the autumn.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Starmer says brother's school struggles ‘shaped my life'
The Prime Minister said his younger brother's story had 'shaped' his life as he welcomed Sir Lewis Hamilton to Downing Street for a roundtable discussion on supporting young people in education. Nick Starmer, who had learning difficulties because of complications at birth, died aged 60 last year, after being diagnosed with cancer. Sir Keir said he knew from his brother how much 'resilience and personal courage' was required to deal with struggles at school. '(My brother) really struggled at school — and had difficulties learning, not because of a learning difficulty, but because then in his time he was pushed to one side and treated as someone who would never learn,' he said. 'He struggled a lot as a result of that. You might think someone who sits here as Prime Minister has no idea what it's like to struggle at school, but I know from my own brother what it was like, and how much resilience and personal courage he had to have. 'That shaped his life, and shaped my life as well'. In discussion with a group of young people and the Formula One racing driver, whose Mission 44 charity aims to make the education system more inclusive, Sir Keir said he would keep them in 'our mind's eye' when formulating policy. 'As I said to some of you earlier, sometimes politics is about big decisions, policies, data analysis, and speeches,' he said. 'But, most of the time, it's about who do you have in your mind's eye when you make a decision?' The Prime Minister added: 'I will take away the work that Lewis is doing. The importance of your discussions — whether in this advisory or elsewhere — so that we have got you in our mind's eye when we make decisions about what to do, so let's get on with it.' As part of the talks, Sir Keir said the Government would develop a 'best practice framework' to 'help schools increase pupil engagement', Downing Street said. The meeting came as the Department for Education expanded its free school meals programme to ensure all pupils in England whose families claim Universal Credit will be eligible for the scheme. Campaigners and education leaders had argued the move was necessary to ease pressures on young people living in poverty. Labour has also been facing pressure, including from within party ranks, to abolish the two-child benefit cap amid record highs in child poverty. Sir Keir has indicated he is considering scrapping the limit amid the prospect of a backbench rebellion, but declined to give further details ahead of the publication of the Government's flagship child poverty strategy in the autumn.
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Starmer says brother's school struggles ‘shaped my life'
The Prime Minister said his younger brother's story had 'shaped' his life as he welcomed Sir Lewis Hamilton to Downing Street for a roundtable discussion on supporting young people in education. Nick Starmer, who had learning difficulties because of complications at birth, died aged 60 last year, after being diagnosed with cancer. Sir Keir said he knew from his brother how much 'resilience and personal courage' was required to deal with struggles at school. '(My brother) really struggled at school — and had difficulties learning, not because of a learning difficulty, but because then in his time he was pushed to one side and treated as someone who would never learn,' he said. 'He struggled a lot as a result of that. You might think someone who sits here as Prime Minister has no idea what it's like to struggle at school, but I know from my own brother what it was like, and how much resilience and personal courage he had to have. The Prime Minister made the remarks during a roundtable discussion with a group of young people and charity leader and F1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton (Bradley Collyer/PA) 'That shaped his life, and shaped my life as well'. In discussion with a group of young people and the Formula One racing driver, whose Mission 44 charity aims to make the education system more inclusive, Sir Keir said he would keep them in 'our mind's eye' when formulating policy. 'As I said to some of you earlier, sometimes politics is about big decisions, policies, data analysis, and speeches,' he said. 'But, most of the time, it's about who do you have in your mind's eye when you make a decision?' The Prime Minister added: 'I will take away the work that Lewis is doing. The importance of your discussions — whether in this advisory or elsewhere — so that we have got you in our mind's eye when we make decisions about what to do, so let's get on with it.' As part of the talks, Sir Keir said the Government would develop a 'best practice framework' to 'help schools increase pupil engagement', Downing Street said. The meeting came as the Department for Education expanded its free school meals programme to ensure all pupils in England whose families claim Universal Credit will be eligible for the scheme. Campaigners and education leaders had argued the move was necessary to ease pressures on young people living in poverty. Labour has also been facing pressure, including from within party ranks, to abolish the two-child benefit cap amid record highs in child poverty. Sir Keir has indicated he is considering scrapping the limit amid the prospect of a backbench rebellion, but declined to give further details ahead of the publication of the Government's flagship child poverty strategy in the autumn.
