Migration to Universal Credit

The DWP issued a press release on the managed migration timetable a few days ago. Remember people, hold tight until you get the formal migration notice.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/half-a-million-more-benefit-claimants-set-to-benefit-from-back-to-work-support-as-universal-credit-expands

According to the above, apparently you are loads more likely to get a job within 6 months of claiming UC - sunlit uplands ahoy!

Ignatius wrote:A new UC claim can be made either digitally or by telephone. If you choose the latter option you will be "persuaded" to go digital.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/benefits/universal_credit/universal_credit_claims_process



On What Do They Know there are plenty of FOI requests about digital/telephone claims so it is probably worth some time exploring those.

I wasn't aware it was a condition of claiming a benefit to have a phone and email so that could be worth further thought.

Thanks for the link #Ignatius.

Found one FOI.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/claiming_benefits_without_a_cont#incoming-1810461

Dated : 11/06/2021. So should be in calm seas....

'I can confirm that we hold the information.
For UC, it is possible to claim Universal Credit without having a contact telephone number...

There is no requirement to include a contact number when making an online or telephone.'

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/telephone_claim/response/1671001/attach/html/3/Assisted%20Digital%20overview.pdf.html

"
......eleven zeros must be used for the phone number on the claim if the claimant does not have a phone number. "



🤩 I thought it a bit odd, it being 2024. The UC being an digital process. Yet need to provide a telephone number to the JCP I ask you!

Maybe, its the Roach not being aware of the regs? Still the Shelter link explains it clearly enough. For even this old Deck ️to understand....

I suspect WC training pushes them to only advise claimants of the all singing, all dancing digital service. It would be no surprise if WCs were unaware you could have a non-digital UC experience.

So Pintel, are you planning on being a thorn in their side and claiming by phone? They will hate you evermore if you do. I may be wrong but I think a non-digital claim means you can swerve the dreaded journal and you remain what they quaintly term "clerical". I will need to do more digging.

Ignatius wrote:

So Pintel, are you planning on being a thorn in their side and claiming by phone? They will hate you evermore if you do. I may be wrong but I think a non-digital claim means you can swerve the dreaded journal and you remain what they quaintly term "clerical". I will need to do more digging.

Seems to be a choice between The and The Deep Blue sea, #Ingatius...‍.

Before, I weigh anchor here. I have some personal issues with the Telephone . I'd prefer to discuss this via a D_M, if you catch my drift..

Secondly, its either harrasment via the Journal or down the Line ...🥴 So 'swerving' the journal/Todo list, not really on the card's . You end up walking the plank, which ever way to turn?

If no unforeseen change in circumstances occurs, we've got 4/5 months before any migration notices are issued. In your position Pintel, I would see what I can find out about claiming/managing UC by phone. You could also make an FOI request based on your personal circumstances to find out more about your options. That is probably best done directly to the DWP, rather than via What Do They Know where your personal information would be publicly available for all to see.

Feel free to DM me if you prefer.

Pintel, if you Google "RightsNet non digital UC claim" you will get plenty of useful links. As only those who give welfare/benefits advice can post on it, it's a bit frustrating but a goldmine of useful information.

A non-digital claim apparently has appointments made by post, and it may also be possible to switch between digital and non-digital if a person's circumstances change. To me that means you can claim online then ask to be switched to digital and vice versa. The bad news from looking on RightsNet is the DWP changed guidance in 2021 to make this much more difficult.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1167435/adm-m7.pdf

an interesting read if you have some time to wade through it.

(their indexing is a mess imo but you can find numbers to search for more dm revisions/guidance)

From the above, a claimant can submit good reason(s) to have their migration notice deferred, and there is no limit to how many deferrals can be granted.

In practice, one deferral might be easy-ish to attain but I presume they would need persuasive evidence for repeated deferrals. Looking at the examples they provide of grounds for a deferral, if I had a health condition that was likely to be long term, I think I would do my homework to see how I could maximise my chances of being awarded LCWRA/LCW to be free of the jobcentre, rather than try to indefinitely defer migration.

This phase of managed migration is expected to be completed by April 2025. I don't know if that is the date for all migration notices to have be issued, or for all legacy claims to have been closed. If it's the former, some people will still be getting their IB JSA for another 15 months or so.

the amount of problems they are having when issuing migration against a claimant when they have issues with their new claim to UC going through shows why they want people to volunteer to switch so badly from what i have read.

i will say it will be past christmas for me as i can be awkward aometimes 🥳

easier to read and decent summary can be found here :-
https://cpag.org.uk/what-we-do/project-work/managed-migration

enjoy!

Thinking further about the grounds for deferral, the JSA requirements to be both available and actively looking for work might limit the ability to drag migration out for months on end. You can have those 2 periods of absence in a 12month period and an Extended Period of Sickness for 12 weeks, and then it's claim UC or close your claim. I've read of people in receipt of Tax Credits getting very long deferral periods because their children are due to complete formal education in the next year and therefore their tax credit claim will naturally close at that point.

There aren't many IB JSA claims left, so even allowing for DWP inefficiency, they probably will meet their deadline.

Anyone on IB ESA who thought they were safe from managed migration until 2028, think again. Migration notices will now be issued from December 2025 according to a senior DWP person.

https://twitter.com/NeilCouling/status/1781280573278863453