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A total of 356,521 households have had their benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) terminated after failing to respond to official letters regarding major welfare changes. These letters were issued under the government’s managed migration programme.
Managed migration started in July 2022. Since then, households receiving any of six legacy benefits have been notified about the steps required to transition to Universal Credit.
After receiving a migration notice, claimants are given three months to apply for Universal Credit. Failure to do so within this period can result in the loss of their existing benefits. Universal Credit is gradually replacing several means-tested benefits and tax credits for working-age individuals and families.
Although the Universal Credit rollout has faced multiple delays, the government announced in April 2024 that it would speed up the managed migration process.
The DWP intends to contact all remaining legacy benefit claimants by December 2025, with plans to fully transition them to Universal Credit and close legacy benefits by the end of March 2026.
According to the latest DWP figures, 356,521 households lost their benefits after missing the deadline to act.
To date, 2,352,886 migration notices have been issued. Out of these, 1,985,703 individuals have successfully applied for Universal Credit, while 10,667 claims are still being processed.
If someone misses their original deadline but applies within one month afterwards, their claim is treated as submitted on time, allowing them to qualify for transitional protection in their Universal Credit payment.
A claimant’s entitlement to legacy benefits or tax credits ends either when they submit a Universal Credit claim or on the day before their deadline if they fail to apply.
However, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Housing Benefit continue for an additional two weeks after entitlement ends.
The DWP has also introduced an enhanced support process for people receiving income-related ESA and Income Support who require additional assistance. This extra support begins 12 weeks after a migration notice is sent and may include follow-up phone calls and, where needed, home visits.
