If you or your partner are working age and you currently receive a benefit that is ending, you need to claim Universal Credit instead.
You'll need to do this to continue to get financial support.
This affects you if you're below 66 and currently receive:
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Child tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Income Related Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
If you’re a pensioner, you’re only affected if you were previously getting Working Tax or Child Tax Credit.
The switchover to Universal Credit is called managed migration.
Find out more about the move to Universal Credit on GOV.UK
What to expect
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will send you a letter inviting you to claim Universal Credit. This is called a Migration Notice.
If you receive a Migration Notice, do not ignore it.
Come to our Universal Credit managed migration advice sessions
Our team is on hand to support residents affected by the move to Universal Credit.
We’re offering specific advice sessions to help you understand what to do when you receive your Migration Notice letter.
If you need extra support, we can also help you submit your Universal Credit claim. We are also on hand to support with any problems you may experience when making the switch to Universal Credit.
When and where the sessions take place
The sessions run every Tuesday from 10am to 12pm at the Woolwich Centre, Wellington Street, Woolwich, SE18 6HQ.
Our advice sessions can get very busy. To give yourself the best chance of being seen, please come from 9:30 onwards.
These sessions run until December 2025.
What to bring
We'll need:
- your Migration Notice letter
- your national insurance number, if you have one
- details of your housing costs, including how much you pay for rent or a mortgage, and who else lives with you
- details of any childcare costs you may have
- details of how much you earn from work and any other income you may have, including income from benefits
- information about any savings and investments you have, such as shares or a property that you rent out
- details of your bank account, building society or credit union accounts