DWP issues warning over deadline to claim Universal Credit as letters sent out

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Benefits recipients who are being moved between the old system and Universal Credit by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been warned that they could miss out on payments if they ignore a key date on their migration notice letter.

People who are being moved onto Universal Credit as part of one of the final phases of the combined benefit system's rollout will receive a 'Universal Credit Migration Notice' in the post, with information on when their legacy benefit payments will end as well as when they will need to apply for Universal Credit by.

The migration system is not automatic, so most claimants will need to prepare to re-apply for their benefits. Roughly one in four benefit claimants in the UK are still on the legacy benefits system, which was due to end this year but pandemic-related reasons have pushed that date back to 2028 or 2029. READ MORE: DWP committee says 'gold-plated' pension scheme has seen 'substantial' pay drop Anyone who fails to apply for Universal Credit by the deadline given to them is at risk of losing their benefits completely.

Now, the DWP have issued a warning to anyone who cannot make the deadline to contact them to ensure this doesn't happen. In an update to their guidance, the DWP warned those on legacy benefits: "If you cannot claim Universal Credit by the deadline date, you should contact the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline as soon as possible." It continued: "We can only give you more time to make a claim if you have a good reason.