The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is intensifying its efforts to urge recipients of specific benefits to transfer to Universal Credit or risk seeing their financial support stopped. An influx of over 60,000 notifications per month will be dispatched from February until year’s end to individuals receiving Employment and Support Allowance.
The DWP says this initiative will integrate more beneficiaries into a contemporary welfare framework that facilitates job-seeking and employment acquisition. The department highlighted their current priority, stating: “In addition, we are focusing on supporting those households who received a migration notice in 2024 and are yet to make the move, particularly before Tax Credits close on 5 April 2025.”
As a follow-up to last October’s dispatch, recipients on Tax Credits have been given a three-month period to apply for Universal Credit before their existing support ceases.
To prevent payment disruptions come April, claimants must act swiftly as the transition is not automatic. Moreover, the DWP has allocated an additional £15 million to bolster the Help to Claim program, operated by Citizens Advice, providing critical, impartial guidance.
This funding increase is set to assist upwards of 800,000 people transitioning from Employment and Support Allowance to Universal Credit by March 2026, two years ahead of the previous schedule. Since its inception in 2019, the Help to Claim scheme has assisted over a million people in claiming Universal Credit, reports the Daily Record.
Sir Stephen Timms MP, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, has welcomed the new wave of funding with open arms, declaring: “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 also urged action, stating, “I want to encourage anyone receiving a migration notice over the coming months to act without delay to secure quick access to benefit entitlement.”
The minister highlighted significant reforms on the horizon, 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.”
In a show of appreciation, Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Over the last five years our specially trained advisers have supported thousands of people across Britain to navigate the move from old benefits to Universal Credit.”
She underlined their commitment to accessibility, noting, “We make our service as accessible as possible, offering phone, chat and British Sign Language options, so we’re there for people as they move over. This funding boost is credit to the vital support our advisers provide and means we’ll be able to help even more people make their first application.”
The ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper, which has been allocated £240m, includes plans to introduce ‘trailblazers’ in local communities. These initiatives are designed to engage individuals who typically do not interact with the system and ensure that work and skills support is seamlessly integrated with health services.
This comprehensive approach aims to provide health and employment assistance, helping people return to work and maintain their employment. Full details about the managed migration process from legacy benefits to Universal Credit can be found on GOV.UK here.
