The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has begun its final push to move hundreds of thousands of claimants off so-called 'legacy' benefits, with a firm deadline now set for this April. Letters are being sent out informing people that their existing claims for certain benefits will be terminated for good.
The April 2026 Cut-Off: What's Ending
From 1 April 2026, two key legacy benefits will officially cease. Income Support and Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) will be discontinued, and the DWP expects that no one will remain on these schemes after that date. This forms part of the long-running migration to the all-in-one Universal Credit system.
Several other benefits, including Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Housing Benefit for most claimants, have already been closed to new claims and are being phased out.
Understanding Your Migration Notice
Households still receiving the affected benefits are being sent a migration notice by the DWP. This letter is crucial—it provides a deadline, typically three months from the date you receive it, by which you must start a claim for Universal Credit.
Your entitlement to the old benefits will stop two weeks after your personal deadline. If you cannot claim by the date given, you must contact the DWP immediately to request an extension. Ignoring the notice will lead to your payments ending.
Financial Impact and Transitional Protection
A DWP analysis from 2022 found that while 55% of legacy benefit claimants will be better off financially under Universal Credit, around 35% will see their entitlement decrease. To mitigate this, the DWP has put transitional protection in place.
This is an automatic top-up paid with your Universal Credit to ensure your total award does not fall below what you previously received. There is no need to apply for this protection; it will be applied automatically if you are eligible.
It is vital to note that even if you choose not to claim Universal Credit, your old benefits will still be terminated. Some support, like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Pension Credit, remains unaffected by this change.
To claim Universal Credit, you must apply online via the government's website. You will need to create an account and complete your full claim within 28 days of doing so, or you will be forced to start the process again. The government has indicated plans to further simplify support by integrating Pension Credit and Housing Benefit later in 2026.
