The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that from April it will be 'stepping up' its plans and more families who claim Tax Credits will be moved over to Universal Credit.
From next month more Migration Notices will land giving legacy benefits claimants notice that they will be switched to Universal Credit. Two million people are thought to be claiming Working and/or Child Tax Credit, and the DWP says that these claimants are first on the list. The government department also warned that those who fail to act on the notice risk losing their current benefit entitlements.
The news comes after the DWP resumed its plans last year to move all claimants currently receiving legacy benefits over to Universal Credit by the end of 2024 after the switch was paused during the pandemic. Chronicle Live reported a spokesperson as saying: "The move of claimants on legacy benefits to Universal Credit was paused during the pandemic following record demand so that DWP could process increased application volumes. Since its introduction some claimants have naturally moved to Universal Credit following a change in their circumstances and claimants have always been able to make a claim for Universal Credit if they wish to do so. The Department is now increasing the number of legacy claimants being asked to move to Universal Credit."
