Migration notices
The following benefits are ending and are being replaced by Universal Credit:
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit for working-age people
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
This is a migration process managed by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
The DWP have started sending out managed migration letters to people claiming housing benefit, and this will continue over the next 12 months.
Look out for a Migration Notice letter from the DWP.
If you have received a managed migration notice
It is important to read the letter carefully and follow the instructions. If you do not, your benefits will stop after the deadline.
If you are claiming ESA, your payments will not immediately stop after the deadline. However, you are still required to migrate to Universal Credit. Make sure you follow the instructions on your migration notice.
If the notice is telling you to claim Universal Credit, this will not be done automatically.
To get help and to request that the Universal Credit housing costs be sent directly to your rent account, phone the rent service on 0121 675 2006 between 9:00am and 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
Additional support
Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline
Phone: 0800 169 0328
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0328
Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users. Watch the video to learn how to use the video relay service on a mobile or tablet.
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm.
0800 phone numbers are free to call from mobiles and landlines.
Help to claim
You can also get free support from the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service.
For further information, visit GOV.UK's Universal Credit page.
Page last updated: 9 February 2026
