People on ESA to receive Universal Credit migration notices from next week

Linda Howard

27 January 2025 at 8:45 am·3-min read

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is increasing the number of migration notices issued to households receiving income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) only, and ESA with Housing Benefit. More than 60,000 migration notices are expected to be issued to ESA claimants each month from February until the end of the year.

DWP said the acceleration will bring more people into a modern benefit regime, continuing to ensure they are supported to look for and move into work. DWP also said: “In addition, we are focusing on supporting those households who received a migration notice in 2024 and are yet to make the move, particularly before Tax Credits close on 5 April 2025.”

The last Migration Notices were sent out in October, giving existing Tax Credits claimants three months' notice to make a new claim for Universal Credit before their legacy benefit award ends. People on Tax Credits who have not yet applied for Universal Credit must do it now, or risk seeing payments end in April as the migration process is not automatic.

The DWP recently announced a £15million funding boost to the Help to Claim scheme to support over 800,000 people moving from ESA to Universal Credit by March 2026 instead of 2028.

The cash injection will support the free and independent advice delivered by Citizens Advice, in partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland, which has supported over one million people making a claim to Universal Credit since the programme launched in 2019.

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms MP, said: “This funding boost will support many people as they make the move from old benefits to Universal Credit - ensuring customers feel confident and informed throughout the application process.

“I want to encourage anyone receiving a migration notice over the coming months to act without delay to secure quick access to benefit entitlement.

“The biggest reforms to employment support for a generation will also ensure more people get the help they need to get into work and on at work, by overhauling Jobcentres, tackling inactivity with local work, health and skills plans, and delivering a Youth Guarantee.”

Help to Claim’s trained advisers provide help and support to anyone making a new Universal Credit claim, including people moving from a legacy benefit, and offer support up to their first correct payment. The advisers offer guidance on how Universal Credit works, how much you will get, collecting relevant evidence, and helping people complete the application.

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Over the last five years our specially trained advisers have supported thousands of people across Britain to navigate the move from old benefits to Universal Credit.

“We make our service as accessible as possible, offering phone, chat and British Sign Language options, so we’re there for people as they move over. This funding boost is credit to the vital support our advisers provide and means we’ll be able to help even more people make their first application.”

The £240m for Get Britain Working White Paper includes funding for the rollout of ‘trailblazers’ in local areas. These trailblazers will focus on reaching people who are not normally in touch with the system, while ensuring work and skills support is better integrated with the health service, so people get the joined-up health and employment support they need to get back into work and stay in work.

The White Paper will develop:

A new jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, and get on in their work, by linking jobseekers with employers, with an increased focus on skills and careers
Joined-up work, health and skills plans to tackle economic inactivity and boost employment, led by Mayors and local areas
A new Youth Guarantee so that every young person is given the opportunity to earn or learn.

Full details about the managed migration process from legacy benefits to Universal Credit can be found on GOV.UK here.

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People on ESA to receive Universal Credit migration notices from next week

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