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Welfare benefits news

The latest welfare rights service news.


Do you receive Tax Credits? From August 2023, you may be asked to claim Universal Credit instead

For several years in Derbyshire, Universal Credit (UC) has replaced most new claims for 6 benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Housing Benefit
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit

People in Derbyshire that receive Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or both, but none of the other 4 benefits, will receive letters telling them to make a claim for Universal Credit. This will happen from:

  • 1 August 2023 for single claimants
  • 2 October 2023 for couples

Before receiving this letter telling them to make a claim for Universal Credit, tax credit claimants may receive a four-page leaflet, explaining what's happening. This leaflet only gives information – you do not have to claim Universal Credit until you receive the letter (called a Migration Notice), and you should wait until you get this letter. Don't claim Universal Credit until you receive it.

If in doubt, seek advice.

What will happen

You'll receive a letter called a Universal Credit Migration Notice. This requires you to make a claim for Universal Credit within a 3-month time limit. If you do not claim right away, you'll receive a reminder letter, but no further reminders will be issued.

When you'll get the letter

You'll get the letter at any time after 1 August 2023 for single claimants, or 2 October 2023 for couples. Letters are not being issued in any order, so it's not possible to say when you might get yours. 

Will your money remain the same?

If you claim in time and benefit is awarded, you should not be worse off on UC than you were on Tax Credits – this is called 'transitional protection'. There is a special rule if you have over £16,000 in savings or capital.

If you don't claim

If you don't claim UC in time, your Tax Credits will stop.

It may still be possible to claim UC, but if your claim is late, you may not get transitional protection if your UC amount is lower than how much you received in Tax Credits.

If you have more than £16,000 in savings

Normally, you cannot get UC if you have more than £16,000 in savings, but there is a special rule to help Tax Credit claimants in this situation.

If you have over £16,000, you can still receive UC for up to a year after your claim 'migrates'. But after that, your money will stop if you still have savings over this limit. 

If you receive Tax Credits as well as Income Support, Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance or Housing Benefit

The process for moving people receiving other 'legacy' benefits to UC should not begin until 2024/2025. We'll keep this information updated.

Benefits advice and support from Derbyshire welfare rights

You can get more advice and support from us by email welfarebenefits@derbyshire.gov.uk or tel: 01629 531535.