Martin Lewis has sounded the alarm regarding a series of letters dispatched by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), urging recipients to pay close attention. On his BBC podcast, the Money-Saving Expert highlighted the importance of not dismissing these communications or shoving them aside due to apprehension about their implications, as failing to comply with the instructions could result in an immediate cessation of benefit payments.
In the closing segment of his podcast, Lewis issued a stark caution: “An important one for anyone on tax credits, housing benefit, employment support allowance or similar; do not ignore a crucial letter that is coming, you may lose your benefits. The Department of Work and Pensions is sending letters to many people saying you must now apply to switch to Universal Credit from your current system. Do not ignore it.”
The correspondence in question pertains to all six types of legacy benefit recipients those receiving Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits, Housing Benefits, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, and Income-related Employment and Support Allowance. These benefits are transitioning to Universal Credit, and the letter sets out the necessary steps claimants must take to be part of this migration process.
Tragically, DWP data reveals that over one-third of claimants have had their benefits halted as they transition to Universal Credit. With this alarming figure, Martin gave a stern reminder: “Do not ignore the letters. Some of those people may have been cut off because they’re no longer eligible but it’s likely that for many people this is just an administrative issue. Watch out for the letter from the DWP, make sure your address details are up to date, and then deal with it. You do not want to have your benefits cut.”
Beneficiaries normally have a three-month period to apply to switch to Universal Credit from the time they receive their letter, which will be specified within. For some recipients, there might be a chance to extend this timeframe if they can present valid reasons, but they must make this request prior to the expiry of the original deadline.
This can be done by contacting the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline. Claimants who fail to meet the deadline will see their earlier legacy benefits terminated, yet they hold the option to apply for Universal Credit later on; however, they will miss out on the transitional measures provided if they made the application within the established three months following their notice.