Universal credit: Managed migration
This section explains the managed migration exercise - this is where DWP/HMRC formally invite claimants from tax credits (and other legacy benefits) to move across to Universal Credit (UC) under a formal migration exercise. This is sometimes referred to as ‘Move to UC’ by DWP.
Although this exercise is referred to as a ‘managed migration’, claimants need to be aware that they will not automatically be transferred over to UC but they will be issued with a migration notice and will need to actively make the claim for UC (or have someone act for them in doing so). Tax credit claimants who have reached their state pension qualifying age (both claimants in a joint claim) will be invited to claim UC if they are claiming working tax credit and to claim pension credit if they are claiming child tax credit and are not entitled to working tax credit; or, if they are already claiming pension credit they will continue to claim their support through pension credit and transitional protection will be available. The exercise to move them from tax credits to pension credit, where appropriate, will broadly mirror the managed move to UC exercise. See our pensioners page for more information, including details of how mixed-age couples will be moved and to where.
In addition, some people may remain on tax credits until the tax credit system completely ends as they are not permitted to claim UC or pension credit.
This section contains the following pages explaining the detail of the managed migration process:
- Managed migration process
- Migration roll-out schedule
- Transitional protection
- Calculating the transitional element
- Notices and letters
- Help and support
Note: The DWP/HMRC operational migration process remains under continuous development in some aspects. Further changes may be made as it rolls-out to more people. Some of the information is only available via DWP guidance (sometimes published) but this guidance, and underlying processes, may change without any updates being published. We therefore recommend that for individual cases you check the latest position with DWP before taking or refraining from taking any action.
Last reviewed/updated 20 June 2024