Thousands of people across Great Britain are facing a crucial deadline as the UK Government prepares to axe further legacy benefits in just over two months.
Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms confirmed that income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and certain Housing Benefit claims for working-age people will cease on 30 June, 2026, as part of the final phase of the transition to Universal Credit.
Outlining the changes in a written statement on Monday, Sir Stephen said completing the rollout of Universal Credit is “critical” to modernising the benefits system and improving the experience for claimants while delivering value for taxpayers.
Universal Credit is already claimed by more than eight million people, which Sir Stephen described as playing a “hugely significant role in the fabric of our society”.
He confirmed that the migration of those receiving Income Support and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance was completed at the end of March, enabling those outdated systems to be wound down.
Sir Stephen said that the Department will now press ahead with transferring the remaining claimants, with those still receiving income-related ESA or certain Housing Benefit payments expected to receive an official notice instructing them to make the switch, as reported by the Daily Record.
He cautioned that people must engage with the process, as those who fail to move to Universal Credit following contact risk having their existing payments discontinued.
The latest figures reveal that 2.4 million people have been notified to switch to Universal Credit, with over 1.5 million households having already successfully made a claim, according to the DWP.
Extra support for vulnerable claimants
Acknowledging that the process can be more complex for some, Sir Stephen confirmed the transition has exposed difficulties for those requiring additional assistance managing their benefits.
He stated that claimants who need more time to arrange an appointee – somebody to act on their behalf – will not have their benefits cut off at the initial deadline.
Rather, the DWP will permit additional time for a personal or corporate appointee to be established before closing their existing claim, with a later deadline applied where necessary.
Sir Stephen emphasised that providing vulnerable claimants with sufficient time and support has remained a fundamental priority throughout the transition process.
The June deadline represents one of the concluding steps in replacing legacy benefits with Universal Credit.
Sir Stephen stated the programme was designed to “modernise and simplify” the system by consolidating multiple payments into a single monthly benefit.
The DWP confirmed it will continue collaborating with claimants and support organisations to ensure the outstanding transitions are completed without issue.
With the final stages now well underway, anyone still receiving older benefits is strongly advised to look out for official correspondence and act promptly to prevent any disruption to their payments.