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Introduction

Most people who still get Housing Benefit are now being moved onto Universal Credit. If this applies to you, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will send you a letter called a migration notice. This tells you that you need to claim Universal Credit by a certain date.

You will usually have at least 3 months from the date of your letter to make your claim. If you do not claim Universal Credit by the deadline, your Housing Benefit and other related benefits may stop.

You can find out how to make a claim for Universal Credit on the GOV.UK website.

If you cannot claim online, you can phone the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline on 0800 169 0328.

Benefits that are ending

The following legacy benefits are ending and are being replaced by Universal Credit:

  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Housing Benefit
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (migration planned to start from 2028)

Last updated: June 18, 2026

Next review due: December 18, 2026

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