Claimants of six “legacy benefits” will be switched to Universal Credit by 2024.
The process, known as managed migration, is gradually notifying claimants of the legacy benefits of the changes.
The move may well impact the amount of money those currently on legacy benefits receive, with some finding themselves better off and some finding themselves worse off.
However, top-up payments will be available for eligible claimants whose payments are reduced due to the change.
The plans to move people over to Universal Credit will affect people claiming six types of support:
- Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Working Tax Credit
The DWP guidance says: “On Universal Credit, most people will be entitled to the same amount they received from their previous benefits or more.
“If the amount you are entitled to on your existing benefits is more than you will get on Universal Credit, a top-up is available. This is called transitional protection.
“You can only get this top-up if you have received a Migration Notice letter from DWP and claim by the deadline date on your letter. If your circumstances change before you make your claim, this may affect the amount you get.
“You should claim as soon as possible to make sure the amount you are currently entitled to can be protected. Any transitional protection you receive as part of your Universal Credit claim may stop if you have a change in circumstances once you’ve made your claim.”
It comes after Universal Credit claimants who use any type of social media are being warned about how they use it amid a crackdown by the Department of Work and Pensions.
A 2,000 strong DWP team launched last year aiming to crackdown on benefit fraud.
Called ‘Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System’, the plan is put in place by the government department with an aim of tackling the approximately £2 billion in losses approximately seto to be made by the DWP over the next five years.