Universal Credit: More benefits claimants to be moved over
People who receive certain benefits and tax credits from income support are starting to be moved to Universal Credit (UC). UC is a single benefit payment for working-age people, which is replacing a range of different benefits in an attempt to make the system simpler.The Department for Communities (DfC) has issued letters asking people receiving income support to make a UC claim.They will have three months from the date of the letter to make the claim or lose out.
Universal Credit has been in place in Northern Ireland for new claimants since September 2017.In October 2023 it was rolled out further, replacing six types of benefits.The next phase will apply to people who receive other so-called legacy benefits.The scheduled dates for the switch from the remaining legacy benefits are:Income Support - FebruaryHousing Benefit (rental) - MarchIncome-based Jobseeker's Allowance - AprilIncome-related Employment and Support Allowance - MayCommunities Minister Gordon Lyons encouraged those who received a letter to take action and said his department was "available to provide help through a dedicated telephony team and face-to-face support at local Jobs and Benefits offices".People do not need to take any action unless they have received a migration notice letter from the department.
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North Wales Live
4 hours ago
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Wales Online
5 hours ago
- Wales Online
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The payment - which is worth up to £300 to help with energy bills during the coldest months - was paid only to those on pension credit last year, but the policy was widely blamed for Labour's poor local election results. It saw 10 million fewer pensioners receive the money in 2024. Charities and MPs were among those who hit out at the move, showing concern for those whose income was slightly too high to qualify but then had expensive energy costs to pay. However, the restriction came in a bid to same save around £1.3 billion. Although the news is welcomed by many, there is still some confusion over what the announcement could mean. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here Here is everything we know about it so far. Article continues below Winter Fuel Payment means tested Last year, the Labour government introduced means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment, meaning only certain pensioners over 66 would receive the money, rather than all pensioners. 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Daily Mirror
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- Daily Mirror
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