Universal Credit

This page should be read in line with our Universal Credit - Overview and Preparing for Universal Credit webpages

The Government have now started the process of moving legacy benefit claimants onto Universal Credit (UC) in Sandwell.  You can find out more about this on the Government’s website.

What is the ‘move’ to UC?

The move to UC also referred to as managed migration is the approach for moving households on legacy benefits over to Universal Credit.  The legacy benefits affected are:

• Income based Job Seekers Allowance
• Income – related Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Child Tax Credits
• Working Tax Credits

What do you need to do?

If you are claiming a legacy benefit, you will be notified by letter when you need to claim UC.  This letter – called a Migration Notice – will provide the date by which you need to make your claim and details of the support available.  You will have three months to make your claim, if you fail to claim within this time, your benefits will end.

If you are claiming tax credits and are of State Pension age you will be sent a letter to apply for either Universal Credit or Pension Credit, depending upon your circumstances

When is this happening?

Over the course of the 23/24 financial year (April to March), 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. From April 2024, the DWP are writing to broader groups of legacy benefit claimants asking them to claim Universal Credit.

What if I claim Income-Related Employment Support Allowance?

The Government had previously advised that if you claimed Income Related-Employment and Support Allowance you would not move to Universal Credit until 2028. The Government have now brought this date forward and claimants will start to receive a migration notice from September 2024 until December 2025.

Transitional Protection

If the amount you are entitled to on your existing benefits is more than you’ll get on Universal Credit, a top up is available.  This is called ‘transitional protection’.

You can only get this additional amount if you have received a Migration Notice and claim by the deadline date on your letter.

If your circumstances change after you’ve made your claim, any transitional protection you receive may stop

What if I need support?

You can find out about what support and advice is available here.

If you are a Council tenant and require support with your Universal Credit claim, you can contact Sandwell Council’s Rents Team on 0121 737 5148, Monday to Thursday 9am – 5.30pm and 9am to 5pm on a Friday for advice and support.

If you are not a Council tenant and require support with your Universal Credit claim then please contact the Council’s Welfare Rights Team on 0121 569 3158, Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm.

The Current Timeline