BENEFIT CHECK
Major benefits shake-up ‘in weeks’ with huge Universal Credit change for more than a million Brits
MAJOR changes to people's benefits are coming "within weeks" as more than a million Brits will be shifted onto Universal Credit.
Around 1.7million claimants are due to receive their payments differently as ministers press ahead with moving them off old-style benefits.
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The Government's gradual transfer of claimants from traditional benefits to Universal Credit was paused during the pandemic.
But the "managed migration" to the new UC system will restart shortly - bringing changes for loads of Brits on benefits.
Ten thousand tax credit claimants will be the first batch to be moved across to the new system soon, .
Then ministers will start shunting the remaining disability and other benefit claimants onto UC.
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The aim is to have everyone on the new UC system by the end of 2024.
Downing Street insists Universal Credit is more generous than old-style benefits.
Universal Credit is a monthly payment for struggling Brits that streamlines old-style benefits like child tax credits, housing benefit and income support into one package.
UC claimants will get more cash in their pockets this month thanks to annual rises in benefit rates.
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From April 11 the payments will shoot up by 3.1 per cent in a process known as uprating.
The hike is so benefits payments do not become less valuable as prices in shops increase, although this year inflation has soared by more than 5%.
The DWP said in November it was "determined" to swap all people onto Universal Credit by December 2024.
The Department's Permanent Secretary Peter Schofield told MPs: "We got the funding in the spending review to finish this on time."
Neil Couling, the director general behind Universal Credit, said the move would be a "slow, slow, slow experience" as bureaucrats being processing in "small volumes".
A DWP spokesperson said: "Universal Credit is a modern dynamic benefit which supports people in and out of work.
"We have always been clear about our ambition to move people over from the legacy systems, which are complex, inefficient and based on aging, inflexible IT.
"The Department will continue its regular engagement with the committee and our ambition remains to see the rollout of Universal Credit delivered safely and on time by 2024."
What are legacy benefits and when will I move to Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is replacing six benefits under the old welfare system, commonly called legacy benefits. They are:
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Housing Benefit.
If you're on any of these benefits now, you can chose to move over - but you might not be better off.
You should consider carefully what moving over means for your money, as you can't move back once you're on Universal Credit.
Using an online benefits calculator can help you compare and are free and easy to use from charities such as and , and it's also worth asking them for advice.
You may be moved over to Universal Credit if you have a change in circumstances, like moving home, a change in working hours or a have a baby.
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Eventually everyone will be moved over to Universal Credit. This is known as "managed migration" and plans for this were paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The process is expected to start again and the government has a goal date of moving everyone over to Universal Credit by 2024.
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