Help with Universal Credit

Tenants receiving Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit (joint and single) will shortly be receiving a Migration Notice from the Department of Work and Pensions informing you that it is your time to move to Universal Credit (UC).

The notices are being sent out between October 2023 and October 2024. You have up to 3 months to register online, your deadline date will be shown on your letter. Your old benefits will stop after this deadline. Don’t do it before you receive the notice.

If you have received your Migration Notice letter, you can click this link to start making your claim for UC: Universal Credit if you receive a Migration Notice letter – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Please be aware that HMRC are sending leaflets to all Tax Credit recipients to explain about UC Migration – this is not a Migration Notice.

You must wait until you have received your notice from DWP.  Applying for UC before you get your migration notice will result in you losing any transitional protection for your UC payments.

Once you have received your Migration Notice letter and immediately after you have received a payment, as we don’t want you to be out of pocket.

Letters are going to be sent out any time from October 2023 and October 2024, so you may receive your Migration Notice in the next few weeks, or it might be later this year, we just want you to be prepared.

Universal Credit (UC) is a single monthly payment of benefit for people in or out of work. Some single people and families are already claiming UC.

It’s different because:

• You will only get one monthly payment for your household.
• UC will be paid into your bank account.
• If you’re entitled to help with your rent, this will be included in the monthly payment, and you will have to pay your rent to us yourself.
• You will have to apply for and manage your UC online. A statement will show on your UC Journal a few days before your monthly payment is due; this shows a breakdown of your benefit entitlement. It is your responsibility to check this.
• You will still need to claim some benefits separately, like Council Tax Reduction and Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

UC is replacing the following benefits:

• Housing Benefit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Income Support
• Employment Support Allowance (income related)
• Job Seekers Allowance (income based)

UC is for people who:

• Are on a low income
• Need help with living costs
• Are working (including self-employed or part-time)
• Are out of work
• Have a health condition that affects their ability to work.

If you need support to make your claim, please contact our lovely Income team on 0345 677 2277, who have already helped hundreds of tenants successfully move to UC.