The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans to scrap six benefits by the end of 2024, moving claimants over to Universal Credit instead. The changeover was paused during the Covid-19 pandemic but started up again in May this year.
The payments that are set to change are Child and Working Tax Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Housing Benefit. The reason behind the move is due to Universal Credit being a simpler and more modern system that uses more up to date IT than the others, according to the DWP.
In most cases people can not now make a new claim for these benefits, and must instead apply for Universal Credit, The Express reports. In some areas of the UK, households have already started to move over.
