The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced that starting September 2024, employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants, including those with housing benefit (HB), will be notified to transition to universal credit (UC). This process aims to complete notifications by December 2025, ahead of any upcoming election. The DWP anticipates saving £5 billion due to some claimants failing to migrate from legacy benefits to UC, marking a significant shift from the previously planned 2028 migration date.

To ease the transition, a nationwide Move to UC communications campaign began in March 2024, featuring ads on various media platforms and directing claimants to a new website, www.gov.uk/ucmove, for supportive information. The DWP estimates that around half of ESA and ESA with HB claimants could be better off on UC, some receiving over £100 more per month, along with improved work incentives and labor market support. Members can access a detailed guide on ESA to UC migration through the Rightsnet website.

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