Martin Lewis ' MoneySavingExpert has warned how 7million people are missing out on extra cash through benefits.
Up to £15billion worth of vital support is going unclaimed each year - but it only takes ten minutes to do a quick check online to see if you’re entitled.
The benefits warning from MSE comes as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) restarted its “managed migration” process of moving those on legacy benefits to Universal Credit.
Some 500 people are being invited to claim Universal Credit from May 9, with a deadline of having everyone transferred over by December 2024.
You can choose to move over earlier before the 2024 deadline, if you believe you will be better off - but it is important to do your research first as once you move to Universal Credit, you can’t switch back.
There are around 2.6million people still claiming old-style benefits in the UK.
Have you received a letter saying you're being moved over to Universal Credit? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
This includes tax credits, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Housing Benefit.
The DWP claims 1.4million people (55%) will get more money on Universal Credit, and 900,000 (35%) would be worse off. The other 300,000 benefit claimants will see no change.
In its latest email, MSE said: “If you're one of the 2.6 million people still claiming tax credits, income support, housing benefit, income-based jobseeker's allowance and income-related employment & support allowance, over the next 18 months or so you'll be moved to universal credit, which replaces them all (with payments protected if you'd be due less under universal credit).
“Yet you can move sooner if you choose, so the big question is which will pay you more?”
Will I be better off on Universal Credit?
You should first use a free benefits calculator - there are free ones from Turn2us and entitledto - to see if you're likely to be better off on Universal Credit.
But as the benefits system is complicated, you should also seek free advice from the above organisations too to double check the results of the calculator.
Once you make a Universal Credit claim, your old benefits will be stopped - you will then have to wait five weeks for your first Universal Credit payment to arrive.
Some legacy benefits will "run on" for two weeks to help bridge some of that gap.
This includes Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
With both types of tax credits, payments will stop as soon as you claim Universal Credit.
If you think you won't be better off on Universal Credit, then you could stay put and wait to be moved over through managed migration.
You will be handed monthly transition payments which are designed to make sure your benefits income remains the same as it was before you moved to Universal Credit.
The transitional protection lasts until there is no shortfall between the amount awarded under Universal Credit and the amount previously received.
