The Department for Work and Pensions is sending out THOUSANDS of “notices” to people on benefits who risk their payments being stopped. The DWP is urging people to move onto Universal Credit as legacy benefits get scrapped.
People receiving certain DWP benefits will get a letter next month telling them to migrate to the new system. And for many who claim the six benefits it will be the first contact they have had from the DWP in “years”, according to reports.
You need to move to Universal Credit if you get a Migration Notice letter and you’re State Pension age, the DWP will say. It is bringing forward the phasing out of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) by four years.
READ MORE UK faces ‘six inches’ of snow with England hit on ‘five more dates’ in January
In February, the DWP will be sending 63,000 letters to these claimants giving them three months to make the switch. By the end of this year, all ESA claimants will have been told to move over to Universal Credit, with the final ESA claims ending in March 2026, when all payments will stop.
Benefits and Work described ESA claimants as “some of the most vulnerable ESA claimants, who may not have had contact with the DWP for years, will now begin to be caught in the DWP dragnet.” Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) offers support and financial help so you can do suitable work if you are able to.
It gives you access to a Work Coach and services including employment, training and condition management support to help you manage your illness or disability at work. You may be able to claim ESA if your Statutory Sick Pay has ended or you can’t get it or you’re employed, self-employed, unemployed or a student on Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.
Other criteria could be if you’ve been getting Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and have not gone back to work for your employer because you’ve an illness or disability which affects your ability to work or you are under State Pension age or you are not getting Jobseeker’s Allowance.
You must also either have had an illness or disability which affects your ability to work or be unable to work for two or more days out of seven consecutive days or be getting special medical treatment.