The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and certain Housing Benefit claims for working-age claimants will cease on June 30, 2026. This marks the final stage of the migration to Universal Credit, which is already received by more than eight million people.
Social Security and Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms outlined the changes in a written statement on Monday, describing the completion of the Universal Credit rollout as 'critical' to modernising the welfare system. He said it would enhance the claimant experience while delivering value for taxpayers.
Sir Stephen confirmed that the migration of those on Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance was completed at the end of March. The DWP will now proceed with transferring remaining claimants, with those still receiving income-related ESA or particular Housing Benefit payments expected to receive formal notification instructing them to switch.
Claimants who fail to move to Universal Credit after being contacted risk losing their current payments. According to the DWP, 2.4 million people have been notified to switch, with over 1.5 million households having already successfully made a claim.
The DWP acknowledged that the transition can be more complicated for some people. Sir Stephen stated that claimants who need more time to arrange an appointee will not have their benefits cut off at the initial deadline, with additional time granted where necessary.
Sir Stephen emphasised that ensuring vulnerable claimants receive adequate time and support has remained a key priority. The June deadline represents one of the final milestones in replacing legacy benefits with Universal Credit, which was designed to 'modernise and simplify' the system by consolidating multiple payments into a single monthly benefit.
