Guidance has been issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on how claimants who are switching to Universal Credit will be impacted. The latest stage of the rollout has started this week in Northumberland, with claimants to receive a Migration Notice letter.

People can also choose to voluntarily switch or they will be naturally migrated if the situation changes, such as changes to their employment or moving to a new address.

Some will see an increase in their benefits payments as they move onto Universal Credit while others will receive the same amount.

Anyone who would get a reduced payment will be kept at the same level as part of the ‘transitional protection’ policy to avoid a sudden drop in income for struggling Britons.

This is only available to people who have received the letter from the DWP and who claim by the deadline as detailed in the letter.

DON’T MISS

The DWP has said that 1.4 million people get an increase of some £220 to their payments.

Once a person applies to move to Universal Credit, they cannot revert to their previous benefits.

More than one million Britons are missing out on Universal Credit despite being eligible, according to figures from the DWP.

In April, benefit payments were hiked 3.1 percent in line with last year’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation.