Universal Credit Managed Migration- What Does It All Mean?

Managed Migration Has Started

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) are a national organisation with branches across the UK. The DPAC North East Branch is representing disabled people in the North East of England. Migration to Universal Credits is and will continue to impact disabled people and carers locally. The local DPAC has compiled the following information to help you better understand what this means for you and your family members and friends.

Managed migration is where people getting legacy benefits will have their claims transferred to Universal Credit. Managed migration is expected to be complete by March 2025 for most people.

Universal Credit (will be referred to UC in this article).

‘Legacy benefits’ refers to the following six benefits:

Income Support
Income related Employment & Support Allowance
Income based Jobseekers Allowance
Housing Benefit
Child Tax Credits
Working Tax Credits

Migration is happening in the following three ways:

‘Natural migration’,
‘Managed migration’
Voluntarily claiming it

If your legacy benefits are higher than your UC amount, you get the difference paid as a ‘top up’ on your UC –called Transitional Protection (TP).
● The higher your legacy benefits, the higher your TP element
● TP is a frozen amount & can be ‘eroded’ over time e.g. increases in UC
● TP can stop and cannot be regained e.g. form a new couple

You must claim UC after getting the letter and before the 3 months ‘deadline’ date given on the letter.
You can ask this date be extended for good reason e.g. unwell -but you must ask before the deadline date.

Call Migration Notice helpline 0800 169 0328. Telephone claims 08003285644

Key Messages:

Do not ignore the Migration Notice
Claim UC to protect your income, FSM, prescriptions & one-off payments etc
Claim UC at the right time –specially to ensure Transitional Protection
Claim before the deadline date but it may be best to wait before claiming UC to maximise Transitional Protection (TP) e.g. if a DLA/PIP claim is pending –seek advice
Even if it looks like UC isn’t any higher, you still may get transitional protection –so claim & claim it in time
Know how to make a successful UC claim
Can get help to claim UC if you need.

So long as you’ve claimed UC in the time limits –extra rules apply:
Tax Credits ignores capital but UC doesn’t;
● However, capital over £16K ignored by UC for 12 months.
● Note, capital between £6K and £16K isn’t ignored -it’s treated as income by UC..
● Normally, difficult for students to claim UC But existing students on legacy benefits can claim UC.

Normally expected to claim UC online
Need to provide full information
Need to prove ID
Need bank account
UC is paid & assessed monthly –very different to Tax Credits annual assessments
Unlike TC, UC has work related requirements -including for a partner. Failure to carry them out leads to a ‘sanction’. These requirements are agreed in the ‘Claimant Commitment’ in the interview at the Jobcentre soon after a claim.
Claimant Commitment can be reviewed so it's more ‘reasonable’.

Hopefully, this has made you aware of what is happening, what we are doing, what help is out there & how you can help. In summary:

From 8 Jan 2014, Tax Credit ‘only’ claimants will be getting a Migration Notice. They should claim UC and claim it at the right time. In the meantime, those on legacy benefits may not have to claim UC, but should check if they’d be better off claiming UC now.

Be aware of the resources e.g. move to UC

Be aware of the services to help with UC & other benefits.

Administrative Earning Threshold (AET) is increasing to 18hours below that you will be placed in Mandatory In Work Progression -Intensive Work Search Group (IWSG). Claimants have 30 days to find a job in their specialist field or take any job if they fail to do so.