Major changes are on the way for people who claim Employment Support Allowance (ESA) over the coming weeks. Letters are set to be sent out to ESA claimants during July explaining how the benefit is being scrapped and replaced with Universal Credit (UC).

They will then have three months to act and apply for UC. If they don't apply before the deadline their benefits will be stopped.

It's the latest part of the long-running process to move claimants of 'legacy' benefits over to UC. Claimants of certain benefits are being moved over at different times and sent Migration Notices through the post by the DWP.

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These will explain what is happening and what claimants need to do. People have been told they don't need to do anything until they receive their Migration Notice letters.

But when they do arrive they must not be ignored as there is a risk of disruption to benefits for those who don't follow the correct steps. More information and advice on the changes is available online by searching 'move to Universal Credit'.

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The DWP explained: "You need to move to Universal Credit if you’ve received a Migration Notice letter, as one or more of your benefits will be ending soon. To continue receiving financial support you must claim Universal Credit by the deadline date given in your letter. This is 3 months from the date the letter was sent out.

"If you cannot claim Universal Credit by the deadline date, you should contact the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline as soon as possible. You may be able to get more time to make a claim if you have a good reason. You must request this before the deadline date on your letter."

The legacy benefits coming to an end are:

  • Tax credits: Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
  • Housing Benefit
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)