Greater than 300,000 lose advantages as DWP makes main adjustments

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Lots of of 1000's of profit claimants have had their funds stopped in recent times, the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed, because it continues to overtake the common credit score system.

Official statistics present that 356,521 households within the UK have had their advantages closed as a consequence of failing to assert common credit score after being invited to.

This implies a lack of funds averaging over £1,000 a month, for failing to answer the “migration discover” that the DWP has despatched to most households nonetheless on “legacy advantages”.

These embody tax credit, revenue assist, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and assist allowance, and housing profit. The federal government is aiming to finish the migration of all of those advantages to common credit score by the tip of March 2026.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/10/27/16/c6052b81d8dee07b4c6b349ee17b39d7Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzYxNjY1OTQy-2.80132787.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/10/27/16/c6052b81d8dee07b4c6b349ee17b39d7Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzYxNjY1OTQy-2.80132787.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/10/27/16/c6052b81d8dee07b4c6b349ee17b39d7Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzYxNjY1OTQy-2.80132787.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="The government is aiming to complete the migration of certain benefits to universal credit by the end of March 2026" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

The federal government is aiming to finish the migration of sure advantages to common credit score by the tip of March 2026 (PA Wire) Of the two.3 million households which have been despatched a migration discover thus far, 1.9 million have efficiently migrated. Round 10,000 are nonetheless present process the migration course of, which began in July 2022.

Whereas anybody who has their legacy advantages closed can later apply to common credit score, they won't be assured the identical transitional safety. This ensures that every one individuals who undertake the DWP’s managed migration course of won't see their whole funds lower consequently.

Nevertheless, the funds can even not improve yearly in keeping with inflation as in earlier years, as an alternative staying the identical till they're equal to common credit score ranges.

Anybody who receives a migration letter has three months to make a common credit score declare. If no reply is acquired inside 11 weeks, the DWP says it can intervene with an “enhanced assist journey” which might contain letters and even house visits.

Welfare specialists proceed to advise any profit claimant who receives a letter to behave in good time to make sure they don't miss out.

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<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/02/27/16/59/lettter-front-door-stock.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/02/27/16/59/lettter-front-door-stock.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&trim=116%2C122%2C45%2C119&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/02/27/16/59/lettter-front-door-stock.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&trim=116%2C122%2C45%2C119&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="The government has sent out millions of letters which claimants must respond to" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

The federal government has despatched out thousands and thousands of letters which claimants should reply to (Getty Pictures) Conor Lawlor, a profit specialist at Turn2Us, stated: “If somebody will get a managed migration letter now, they need to make a declare for common credit score earlier than the deadline of their letter to make sure they get transitional safety.

“They need to already be going by way of the improved assist journey, so the DWP will likely be in contact with them if there is not any response following a discover being issued. In the event that they want further assist with their declare, they need to use the Turn2us discover an adviser device.”

Analysis from the DWP launched this week discovered that among the key causes that folks select to not declare after receiving a letter are confusion about eligibility necessities, believing they have been incomes an excessive amount of, and feeling the method was an excessive amount of effort.

Some additionally believed that they had an excessive amount of in financial savings as, not like with legacy advantages, no claimant with over £16,000 in financial savings can declare common credit score. Nevertheless, the DWP has stated this rule will likely be disregarded for 12 months for anybody who undergoes managed migration.

A DWP spokesperson stated: “It's important individuals reply to the letter asking them to make the transfer to common credit score with a purpose to proceed receiving advantages.

“Assistance is at hand for these making the transfer, together with our devoted helpline, steerage on gov.uk, and the Residents Recommendation’s free and impartial assist to assert service.

“We’re additionally giving additional assist to individuals transferring from employment and assist allowance, equivalent to telephone calls and extra steerage.”