DWP sending out thousands of letters warning people to 'act without delay'
by Fionnula Hainey · ChronicleLiveThe Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is urging recipients of a specific letter to 'act without delay' as it accelerates its Universal Credit migration process. The government has pledged an additional £15 million to the Help to Claim initiative, which assists benefit claimants in transitioning from old-style legacy benefits to Universal Credit.
Hundreds of thousands of individuals on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will receive letters instructing them to switch to the new benefits system or risk losing their payments entirely. This follows the government's announcement during the chancellor's Autumn Budget that the DWP would advance the migration date for ESA claimants from 2028 to September this year.
The DWP aims to have all ESA claimants transferred to Universal Credit by March 2026. Letters, known as 'migration notices', will be sent to all ESA claimants outlining the deadline for making a new Universal Credit claim.
The DWP is encouraging anyone who receives one of these letters to act "without delay" to ensure they continue receiving their benefits. The Help to Claim scheme, a collaboration between the DWP and Citizens Advice, has aided over one million people in claiming Universal Credit since its inception in 2019, according to the government.
DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms announced: "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.", reports the Manchester Evening News.
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He added, "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 DWP revealed that more than 60,000 migration notices will be issued each month from February 2025 until the end of the year. The government stated that speeding up the migration process will "bring more people into a modern benefit regime" so they are supported "to look for and move into work".
This comes as the government is set to release the Get Britain Working White Paper later this Autumn. Help to Claim's trained advisers offer assistance and guidance to anyone making a new Universal Credit claim, including those transitioning from a legacy benefit, and provide support up until their first correct payment.
They offer advice on how Universal Credit operates, how much you will receive, gathering relevant evidence, and assisting individuals in completing the application.
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, has expressed the organisation's commitment to aiding individuals transitioning from old benefits to Universal Credit. "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.
She also welcomed the additional funding, saying, "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."
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