Universal Credit (UC) is a single monthly payment to help with your living costs and provides support if you are working and on a low income or are looking for work.
The following benefits and tax credits are ending and being replaced by Universal Credit:
I currently receive benefits or tax credits - what will happen to me?
Some benefits and tax credits are ending and being replaced by Universal Credit. From April 2024, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is writing to those who receive these benefits to let them know that they need to claim Universal Credit instead.
This letter - called a Universal Credit Migration Notice - will explain what you’ll need to do, and by when.
You will not move to Universal Credit if you only receive Housing Benefit and you:
Instead, you will continue to receive support with housing costs through your existing Housing Benefit.
What happens next?
It is important that you do not do anything until you receive your letter. When you receive your Migration Notice letter, you’ll need to make a claim for Universal Credit (UC).
You will not be moved automatically and you must claim Universal Credit by the deadline date given in your letter. The deadline date for applying is 3 months from the date the letter is sent out. Look out for your letter - this letter will explain what you will have to do to claim UC and the deadline by which you must have applied and completed your application to continue receiving financial support.
Please note that affected legacy benefits will end by the deadline given in the Migration Notice even if you do not apply for Universal Credit.
Meanwhile, you can start to prepare for your move to Universal Credit. Find out how much you’re likely to get on Universal Credit.
Your current benefits will end as soon as you submit your claim for Universal Credit and you will not be able to go back to your existing benefit once you have claimed. Please do not ignore this letter.
Need advice or support? We will help you. Please get in touch with your housing officer on 0141 560 6000 if you have any questions.
When am I likely to get my letter?
Look out for a letter in the post at some point this year. The DWP has published an approximate guide to when letters will be going out but this may change so don’t worry if you don’t receive a letter by the date given.
| Your current benefit | Anticipated date of Migration Notice letter |
|---|---|
| By the end of March 2023 | |
| Tax credits with Housing Benefit | From April 2024 |
|
Income Support – Income Support only – Income Support with Housing Benefit – Income Support with Tax credits – Income Support with Housing Benefit and Tax credits |
From April 2024 |
|
Housing Benefits only |
From June 2024 |
|
Income-related Employment Support Allowance with Child Tax credits |
From July 2024 |
|
Tax credits (if you are of State Pension age and are asked to move to Pension Credit) |
From July 2024 |
|
Tax credits (if you are of State Pension age and are asked to move to Universal Credit) |
From September 2024 |
|
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance |
From September 2024 |
|
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) only |
Autumn 2024 (TBC) |
|
Employment and Support Allowance with Housing Benefit |
Autumn 2024 (TBC) |
Tax Credits
In August 2023, it was announced that tax credits will be coming to an end. Over the course of the 2023/2024 financial year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) wrote to those claiming Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit to ask them to claim Universal Credit.
If you are claiming tax credits and are state pension age or over, DWP will write to you to ask you to apply for Universal Credit or Pension Credit, depending on your circumstances.
To continue to receive financial support, you will need to claim Universal Credit by the deadline stated in your Migration Notice letter, even if you have just renewed your tax credits claim.
You won’t be moved automatically, so it’s important to act quickly and follow the instructions in the letter, otherwise your benefits will stop.
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