The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an alert to be on the lookout for essential “migration notices” as the government prepares to move people to a “more modern benefits regime”. To date, 943,343 households have been notified of the upcoming changes, and more than 60,000 notices are expected to be sent each month from February 2025 until the end of the year.

The notices are relevant to recipients of soon-to-be-abolished benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – financial help for those unable to work due to ill health or disability. More than 800,000 people currently benefit from this older benefit, but DWP it hopes to move them to Universal Credit by March 2026 – two years earlier than planned.

In a significant move today, the department also unveiled a £15m funding boost to strengthen this initiative, alongside support from Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, crucial in supporting over one million universal credit claimants from 2019.

Social Security and Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms MP said: “This increase in funding will support many people as they switch 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 in the coming months to act without delay to ensure rapid 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 stay in work, through the overhaul of jobcentres , tackling inactivity with local work, health and skills plans and providing a Youth Guarantee. “

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Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, added: “Over the past five years, our specially trained advisers have supported thousands of people across the UK to switch from old benefits to Universal Credit. We make our service as accessible as possible by offering phone, chat and British Sign Language options, so we’re there for people moving.

“This funding boost is thanks to the vital support our advisers provide and means we’ll be able to help even more people make their first application.” The DWP has set out the exact dates you could receive a Universal Credit migration notice.

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