Over the next two years, most working age people who receive legacy benefits (Tax Credits, Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance and Housing Benefit) will need to claim Universal Credit (UC).
A "Migration Notice" is a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) asking you to claim Universal Credit within 3 months.
For the first group of Conwy Council Borough Council households affected by managed migration to UC, Migration Notices will be issued from February 2024. If you are part of a couple, you will both be sent letters with the same deadline.
Households affected from February 2024
The first group of households affected are households where Tax Credits are in payment and no other income-related benefits are in payment. Examples include:
- Working and receiving Tax Credits.
- Self-employed and receiving Tax Credits.
- You have capital of over £16,000 and are receiving Tax Credits (unlike Tax Credits, UC has a capital threshold of £16,000 which means you will not be entitled to UC if you have £16,000 or more in capital, however if you claim UC by the deadline date you can continue to be paid UC for up to 12 months).
Households affected from April 2024
You will not be affected in the first group if you are receiving Tax Credits and any of the following:
- Housing Benefit
- Income-Related Employment & Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance
These households will be affected but not until after April 2024.
Migration Notice
A Migration Notice is a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) asking you to claim Universal Credit within 3 months.
You must claim Universal Credit within 3 months of the date on the Migration Notice otherwise your existing benefit entitlement will end and you will lose any entitlement to "Transitional Protection" when you do claim UC. Transitional Protection is the difference between your existing benefit / Tax Credit entitlement and UC. If you were better off on your existing benefits / Tax Credits and you claim UC before the deadline date then you should be no worse off when you move to UC.
If you make your claim for UC after your deadline date (3 months from the date on your Migration Notice) then you will not be paid any Transitional Protection.
There are certain circumstances where you can request an extension to the deadline day for claiming Universal Credit, but this must be requested before the deadline.
You do not have the option to stay on your legacy benefits.
If you claimed Universal Credit before the deadline day, your entitlement to legacy benefits will end on the day before you become entitled to Universal Credit. This is extended by 2 weeks if you are entitled to a run-on payment of Housing Benefit, income-based JSA, income-related ESA or Income Support.
If you do not claim Universal Credit by the deadline given, your last day of entitlement to your existing benefits will be 2 weeks after your deadline date.
Your Housing Benefit entitlement will not end if you are in supported or temporary homeless accommodation.
If your Universal Credit includes Transitional Protection there are certain changes that can decrease your transitional protection payments and certain changes that end transitional protection.
Read Guidance if you receive a Migration Notice on the DWP website.