Universal credit managed migration thread

[ChristmasCatBells]

Anyone else waiting for a migration notice this year?
Looks like they are planning to move people on tax credits only onto universal credit this year but haven't released any detailed timetables about areas.
Thought it might be useful to share experiences and information on here for those affected.

@StarShine85 Similar happened to me, I got my notification of my award last Monday (with payment on Fri), the initial amount less the deduction for what I earn over the £600 ish was broadly similar to my old TC award and then they took off some for my savings. Fine. That's what I expected. But then a few days later I got a journal note to say that they had adjusted it to include transitional protection, which then showed as an extra element in my award and I ended up with a bit more than my last TC payment 🤷‍♀️.

It actually went into my bank as a separate payment to my main payment but I guess thats because the main payment was already in process as it was only between notification of my award on Mon and payment on Fri that they added the extra in.

Hi @blueripple

Thank you for letting me know, I’m glad I am not the only one!

I have tried to make it make sense, using every calculation under the sun. But think it will be just easier to see what happens next month and take it from there 🤷🏼‍♀️.

I've been following this thread with interest. Particularly about pension payments being discounted - shocking if so. I received my migration letter from TC in July, and I have until later this week to decide to apply for UC. I also would have preferred a natural roll off. HMRC have the information so could have staggered sensibly.

I have 1 child, now 18, on a fulltime college course - so possibly I had 2 more years until June 2025. But I own my own home, single parent, work part-time in a demanding professional role (no flexibility on days/hours/extra), in my late 50's, applying for better paid roles/hours without success, have savings in excess of £16k+, due to divorce and court orders on splitting assets. Up to last year I was on a very low TC weekly award. But I don't want the pfaff of what seems like very high levels of admin and a need to keep monitoring accounts/journals etc. I would love help from a decent work coach or an offer of a retraining course - but I am not sure that's on offer to normal job hunters.

So I shall wish you all well in your migration journeys and hope you have success.

DWP specifically send a letter asking all y11 parents to let them know if children are staying in FT education and where, in the early summer. I suspect you might not get a reply as they're not interested in the information at this stage (and it could change). As you say, payment of all relevant benefits continue until the official end of the academic year which is 31 Aug.

Take a look at national careers service; https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/. There maybe some useful info for you if you are thinking of doing something different.

Thank you @JanglyBeads. I’d read conflicting information about turning 16 and I didn’t want to get caught out.
I’ve also now asked in my journal if they will take into account that this months larger wage is because of back pay from when I was on tax credits.
This thread has been so helpful!

@HuminaHumina

hope you get a reply soon. Let us know what they say.

@socialdilemmawhattodo an FE college should be able to help you with part time courses. Otherwise I do wonder if the work coach has access to other options eg my dd has been offered work experience for a month to see if she likes a particular role.

Does anyone know about money held in trust for DC's? Mine have their baby and toddler gifts in national savings in trust in mine and their names. It's not a huge amount but it's for cars / Uni in a few years. I've not even looked at the paperwork in a decade. It was before I even became a lone parent.

@megletthesecond they should be disregarded as long as you can show it's their money.

Could this be because UC is paid monthly and TC is 4 weekly?

Hi all, I have now put my application in for UC. On the tax credits scheme I had a nhs exemption card. Under UC I understand my earnings will be over the limit for help. I’ve just called to get an nhs prepayment card & they’re saying the tax credits exemption card stays in place for the duration of the dates on it. Has anyone else had this issue? I spoke to two nhs advisors and neither filled me with confidence. I don’t want to tick the box for tax credits and then get a whopping bill and potential fine.

If you were entitled to free prescriptions because of low income/tax credit help then you should have had a letter and on that letter it should say an end date. If it's not past that end date then you'll still be entitled.
Then they either send you a new letter if you still qualify or if they think you don't qualify you won't get a new letter.

Hi @Crumbcatcher , I’m not sure that it is to do with the 4 weekly-monthly difference as still works out higher with this taken into account.

Interestingly, I have received my transitional element into my bank today, but not the rest of the award stated in the payment section. I assume the rest is still to arrive by the deadline day, as a separate amount. I assume they have calculated the transitional protection amount and paid this separately, so not sure if it will always be paid on a different day in future assessment periods.

I just heard back in my UC journal that my April pay rise back pay will be taken into account as earning during this month. Even though it was from when I was claiming Tax Credits prior to migrating to UC. 😭

Yes it always works like that

My migration was completed this week, I was getting £20 a month CTC and now get £110 UC which they say will stay the same until I have a change of circumstances, I didn't actually think I wouldn't be eligible for anything and almost didn't apply. If I hadn't been on a legacy benefit I wouldn't be eligible for any UC so its been worth going through migration for me, and I guess will qualify me for any future CoL payments

@Singleandproud a lot of people on lowish pay can be better off on UC. Combination of the Work Allowances and fact that UC picks up fact you're paying rent.

The money I've been 'awarded' is purely for having been on a legacy benefit though. I had a series of job moves and promotions this year which rejigged my TC currently on just under £30k as a single parent so I think that's why my TC had become so low. I don't pay rent as my parents bought my place outright for me when my grandparents died as I have 1 DD with ASD to give us stability (although not eligible for any disability etc as it does not affect her severely enough). Either way
I wasn't expecting anything and will appreciate any money I do get as a bonus, it'll help with uniform and school shoe costs etc.

I don’t understand why that would happen. Isn’t there still a calculation?

My tax credits claim is due to end on 1st December.
I'm not going to apply for UC as I'm self employed, probably not earning the minimum floor and I have savings.
I get that I'd get transitional protection for a year, but I'd find the whole process really intrusive, so I'm not going to apply.
I've just checked my current tax credits claim, expecting only to see payments until 1st December, but it is showing normal payments right up to the end of December, where it lists the next 9 payments.
I don't want an overpayment, so do I just assume that payments will automatically stop on 1st December if I don't do anything, or do I still need to contact UC/tax credits at the end of November to tell them I won't be starting a claim?

@BCSurvivor your TC will just end on 1st December, you dont need to contact anyone. I didn't migrate and had payments showing for after my migration date on my account, but as soon as the date passed they disappeared. DWP then sent a letter to say as I hadn't claimed UC HMRC would be writing to confirm the end of my TC and any outstanding payments that may be due.

@Hortonhearsawhat thank you x

I had to show my bank statements at the job centre this week. I think they are going to deduct so much for excess capital that I won't actually get any UC, but we'll see.

Is this for everyone?
Or is this because you have a lot of savings?
Do you know?

I'm assuming that @Crumbcatcher has capital between 6,001 and 16,000 such that the tariff income will reduce UC payable to nil.