Universal credit migration

Universal Credit Migration  

As part of the ‘full roll out’ of Universal Credit, claimants making new claims to any of the six legacy benefits will have to make a new claim to Universal Credit. This is called ‘Natural Migration’. 

The Government is also in the process of moving all existing claimants over to Universal Credit, this is called ‘Managed Migration’ and will take place over the next few years.  

The managed migration process is well underway with the process expected to be completed by March 2026.Many people in receipt of legacy benefits would have already received their migration notices with those in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) now receiving their notices. The Government will write to inform you that you are due to change over to Universal Credit and you will have 3 month to do this and it is really important that you do this within the time limit as a failure to do this may result in you being worse off financially. 

Once you make a claim for Universal Credit, you will be entitled to a 2 week run on of your existing benefits until your new claim goes into payment. 

Sometimes some people are financially better off on ‘legacy benefits’  than Universal Credit and the DWP acknowledge this. Therefore, providing you make the claim within the time frame, you will receive ‘Transitional Protection’ which will ensure that you will not be worse off at the point of transfer and this additional element will remain in payment unless there is a significant change in your circumstances. An example of this is if you are receiving the Severe Disability Premium in your benefit, you will not lose this when moving over.  

Following a judgement last year, those in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) and or the Enhanced Disability Premium (EDP) would be entitled to transitional protection as follows;  

 

  • Single, without Limited Capability for Work Related Activity £340.50 per month 
  • Couple, only one person entitled to Severe Disability Premium on legacy benefits, with Limited Capability for Work Related Activity in either partner’s name £143.37 per month 
  • Couple, only one person entitled to Severe Disability Premium on legacy benefits, without Limited Capability for Work Related Activity in either partner’s name £340.50 per month 
  • Couple, both entitled to Severe Disability Premium on legacy benefits £483.88 per month  

You can get monthly additional amounts if you are entitled to severe disability premium transitional protection: 

  • Single and if you received the enhanced disability premium in your legacy benefits – £91.15 
  • Single and if you received the disability premium in your legacy benefits – £186.64 
  • Could and if you received the enhanced disability premium in your legacy benefits – £130.22 
  • Couple and if you received the disability premium in your legacy benefits – £266.94 

Claimants already getting the transitional severe disability premium element within their Universal Credit, could be eligible for backdated payments if they were also entitled other disability premiums prior to claiming Universal Credit. 

 

NB – Not all changes in circumstances result in having to make a new claim to Universal Credit and in some instances, you can remain on your current benefits. Please ask for advice on this.  

This advice is provided by our Benefits Advisor, Robert Mandelstam. The information provided above is up to date for the financial year ending 5th April 2026. 

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