Migration to Universal Credit

Well I received my migration letter recently and applied online once I'd received it. Oh joy! To put it simply, I am shitting bricks. I guess that's one of the joys of not knowing.

Any advice or appeasing words would be most welcome right now. I am fully expecting to be thrown under a bus, after hearing the horror stories of being put forward for stupid hours jobs.

Why the hurry -, I thought you have 3months+1 day from the date of the migration notice to apply for UC??

My plan when I receive my notice is to take my time and eke out my JSA claim for a bit longer, although I will prioritise choosing a suitable payday over claiming JSA until the very last day possible.

I suspect you will get a new WC to go with your new UC claim, and your experiences of UC will largely be determined by the whims of your new WC, although you are allowed to ask for a different WC. If a JSA to UC switch is treated as an entirely new claim, you may find you have a few months of being left alone. I would clarify that point when you attend your commitments appointment.

To be honest, there isn't a hurry as such. But for me I just wanted it out the way with, as I've been winding myself up over it for some time.

You certainly got the short straw with the speed of your migration notice. Without giving away information that would identify you, are you/your area near beginning of alphabet? I ask because my nice but dim WC wondered if they would work through the list alphabetically, or by NI cycle, which determine JSA signing dates. Ideally the DWP would inform WC of the timescale so they can advise people accordingly instead of leaving us all guessing.

Don't think anyone can blame you for getting it over and done with. You shall have to report back on your commitments appointment. If you have any worries about that, ask on here. If you have health conditions that affect the work you can do, your commitments appointment is the best time to raise them from what I have read elsewhere. You may be able to get them taken into account on your new CC.

Oh yeah, keep an eye on your bank account to make sure you get your 2 weeks JSA run on payment and any the same if you get Housing Benefit.

Ignatius, thank you so much.  What you've posted is more helpful than an hour's worth of Googling.

My area is near the start of the alphabet, so perhaps they are working through the list alphabetically.  There was also something I noticed about timings, but I'll PM you that part as it could very easily identify me.

I did put down my health conditions when applying online.  When asked the question if any of these had any impact on my job search or jobs that I could apply I chose yes - it then asked for a fit note, which I don't have, so backed out.  As you say, I'll discuss this at my appointment.

I'm also going to speak with my GP surgery next week and see what they say.  I have had a fit note issued in the past, but I don't think it lasted for very long - I think it was a month.  Depending on the doctor, the fit note might not go in favour.  You see my main illness is that anybody could make it up and say they had it.  I'll also pop the name of this in my PM to you.

But I can see the trap a mile off here - waiting for fit notes, maybe not getting them on time, UC expecting you to look for work etc.

I've heard about the two week run on payment.  So at least I'll just have to find money for three weeks worth of bills - luckily I've a small amount of savings prepared for this UC migration, so I hope that will cover things.

I received my migration letter today. I will be making a claim in the middle of October because I want things sorted before Xmas. Is there anyone on this forum claiming UC yet? Who can tell me what's in store, can you get split payments twice a month, what are those UC journals like do they hound you morning noon and night.

Well, notwithstanding the hassle of getting a GP appointment, you can always make another appointment with a different Dr if you have no joy the first time. Or you could just submit an econsult request for a fit note. It might be worth a search on Reddit GP UK. Lots of posts from Drs (obviously really) about people requesting fit notes/med 3 for the jobcentre and how GPs deal with these. It might give you some helpful hints on how to smooth the process.

Aim big with a fit note request - 3 months of fit notes triggers a WCA. From what I read elsewhere online WCA are an enormous source of stress. However if a person does their homework on how to complete the forms and can demonstrate condition x has x impact on their work ability, they may have joy. The best sources of advice are usually websites related to the particular health condition. I think the fit note stuff with a UC application is as much an administrative hurdle as a trap. If a person has a health condition then the system is supposed to direct you onto the correct pathway, after all, work search requirements can be very inappropriate with lots of health problems. If you submit a fit note you will have no work search for 14 days, regardless of length of fit note. Fit notes can be back dated and I presume a note can be left in the journal to say you are waiting for one.

As Pintel of this parish will testify, I am shamefully terrible at reading PMs (my pathetic excuse is I never look down at the bottom of my phone screen to see the little icon). However, you have my word I will have responded to you by this time tomorrow.

Finally, don't want to put you under any pressure, but you appear to be the first of us to have received a migration notice so we will all be looking to you now for guidance for when it is our turn.

fordcortina1970 wrote:I received my migration letter today. I will be making a claim in the middle of October because I want things sorted before Xmas. Is there anyone on this forum claiming UC yet? Who can tell me what's in store, can you get split payments twice a month, what are those UC journals like do they hound you morning noon and night.

I'm also worried about being hounded day night in the journal.

You can request for more frequent payments.  I have taken information for the below quote from this link:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-alternative-payment-arrangements/alternative-payment-arrangements#more-frequent-payments

Universal Credit is paid monthly. But in instances where it is identified that a claimant is finding it difficult to budget monthly, they can have their Universal Credit divided over the month to be paid more frequently - twice a month or, exceptionally, 4 times a month.

Ignatius wrote:Why the hurry -,

I suspect you will get a new WC to go with your new UC claim, and your experiences of UC will largely be determined by the whims of your new WC, although you are allowed to ask for a different WC.

On a side note here... How are Work Roaches allocated? You'd think it would be a random selection. However, Ive noticed on the Lofa Sofa ️, many of claimant's allocated to my . Are of a similar age bracket 🤨...

I found this link, useful about UC a application..

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/how_to_claim_universal_credit

Commiserations, fordcortina.

There is provision in the UC regulations for fortnightly payments. My (limited) understanding is it goes to the decision maker if you request fortnightly payments and you have to demonstrate issues with money management. There may be other grounds for applying.

You can request a non-digital claim if you do a telephone application. For all it's potential issues, the journal probably has some advantages. In this day and age, I'm not sure I would trust the post system to deliver letters about appointments in a timely fashion, and I wouldn't want to miss many DWP calls. At the least the journal lets you screenshot communications between you and the jobcentre.

Ignatius wrote:

As Pintel of this parish will testify, I am shamefully terrible at reading PMs (my pathetic excuse is I never look down at the bottom of my phone screen to see the little icon). However, you have my word I will have responded to you by this time tomorrow.
n.

I can confirm this 12 September dm in my out-tray....🥸.

From reading online, I don't stand much chance of completing a WCA with my health condition.  I'm not sure it's worth the stress of even trying.  If I were to go through a WCA, would I still be paid as normal until the WCA was complete? Or would it like be trying to claim ESA while on JSA - no payments while you wait for an ESA decision? I simply can't afford to wait weeks, let alone months, without being paid.

Ignatius wrote:As Pintel of this parish will testify, I am shamefully terrible at reading PMs (my pathetic excuse is I never look down at the bottom of my phone screen to see the little icon). However, you have my word I will have responded to you by this time tomorrow.

Finally, don't want to put you under any pressure, but you appear to be the first of us to have received a migration notice so we will all be looking to you now for guidance for when it is our turn.

Don't even feel obliged to reply.  I'm just trying to fill you on with some of the information I've deliberately chosen not to put into public.

I wouldn't hold out too much for me being a decent source of information.  I'm a nervous wreck right now, not that that joke shop even gives a single fuck about our health.

Here are some sites I've found tonight that might be helpful to others.  I should emphasis that I don't use social media and would encourages not to either - or at least not put out sensitive information in the public domain for the DWP to hoover up and use against you.

• WCA Handbook September 2024: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66daf5952bc43c72b0826569/wca-handbook-sept-2024.pdf
  
• Universal Credit group - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/132204720176884/
  

The above Facebook group could be helpful, in that we could learn from the experience of others.  It looks as though the DWP aren't wasting time however, as there is a post saying somebody received their migration letter today.

I made an error in an earlier post. On day 29 of a fit note, a WCA is triggered. If you are successful 3 months of consecutive fit notes are needed to get the LCWRA Brucey Bonus backpay.

Intincroi, thanks for those links. If you submit fit notes for long enough a WCA referral is triggered. You would be paid as normal throughout the process. If a WCA is unsuccessful you would still continue to be paid as normal. If nothing else, with the right WC you may get reduced commitments until the process is complete. It is not the health condition that determines success, but what it means for a persons ability to work. There is loads of information available online and with the right guidance, lots of people succeed at the first attempt, despite their expectations of failure. It is PIP that is the real bastard to be awarded. LCWRA means no work search requirements and extra money. LCW means no job search, just work preparation activities so worth giving consideration to.

To those who have received their Envelope of Doom, were they received quite soon after the date on the letter? I have visions of that dreadful Wolverhampton mail centre letting them just pile up rather than strolling down to the postbox to get them posted.

Pintel, my apologies for prioritising a book about the history of Argentinian football over your messages. I will give your messages the attention they deserve tomorrow. I have no idea how WC are allocated. Pre-pandemic I used to get a new WC every 6 months or so. Since then JSA signing has been done by the same few old timer WC.

Ignatius wrote:

Pintel, my apologies for prioritising a book about the history of Argentinian football over your messages.

🪣 No worries Ignatius, wasn't that important...🥸

Pre-pandemic I used to get a new WC every 6 months or so. Since then JSA signing has been done by the same few old timer WC.

Always wondered if there was 'Specialist' roaches within the JCP ...

You'd think Wolverhampton mail centre, would post early for Xmas .

Ignatius wrote:To those who have received their Envelope of Doom, were they received quite soon after the date on the letter? I have visions of that dreadful Wolverhampton mail centre letting them just pile up rather than strolling down to the postbox to get them posted.

For me, the letter was dated three days from the date I received it. So they certainly can't be accused of hanging around!

No personal details here #Intincroi. But could you give a 'flavour' of the letters content . Is it a 'sugar sweet' great opportunity for you, wording. Or a more 'demanding' enrol on the UC or else threat...

SuperPintel, the letter merely tells you the benefit system is changing and that your existing benefits will stop on x date. If you wish to keep receiving money, you must submit an application for UC by x. It will tell you how to claim, and that you can request an extension to the deadline.

Maybe I will receive my letter this week. If I haven't received it by the end of the month then I may still be JSA-ing it in 2025.

Apparently they send reminder texts after the migration notice has been sent, but I don't know if that applies to all claimants or just those they class as vulnerable.

Pintel wrote:No personal details here #Intincroi. But could you give a 'flavour' of the letters content . Is it a 'sugar sweet' great opportunity for you, wording. Or a more 'demanding' enrol on the UC or else threat...

I won't type the whole letter, but here is the main part:

You need to claim Universal Credit
You must claim by <date> to keep receiving financial support

Universal Credit Migration Notice
Dear <name>

You will soon stop getting the following benefits:

• <name of benefit> [ie: ESA]
  
• <name of benefit> [ie: housing benefit]
  

You must claim Universal Credit by <date> to keep receiving financial support.

How to claim Universal Credit

Go online to claim Universal Credit: www.gov.uk/dwp/move-to-us

If you cannot claim online, call the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline for free on 0800 169 0328

Your benefit payments will end 2 weeks after you make your Universal Credit claim.

That's pretty much the first page.

The second page describes how they can help, what you should get (no figures are shown, it just says it should be what you get now), what to do if you live with a partner and to ignore the letter if you've already made a claim.

I assume they want you to use the last page as toilet paper, because we won't be able to afford bog roll after waiting 5 weeks for a payment - well actually 3 weeks, if you take into account the 2 week run on from whatever benefit you get.  The last page just says you can have the letter in other formats, how the DWP collects and flogs your information, call charges and an equality and diversity statement.

I believe your legacy benefit terminates from the day before you claim Universal Credit. With that in mind, am I correct to think if I was to attend the Jobcentre to sign on for JSA as usual, and then apply for Universal Credit the following day, l would still receive my normal JSA payment 3 days after signing on, plus get the two week run on? Meaning 4 weeks money and only having to worry about having limited money for 1 week, rather than 5 weeks waiting for the first Universal Credit payment. The optimal time to file your Universal Credit claim needs to be determined. Personally, I am hoping to leave it until the very last day of the 3 month period which is why I am asking about the payments. I must claim Universal Credit by the 19th December. My last signing on day would be the 17th December.

Firstly welcome to the forum #Xennial...
I'd personally wait until after my Giro payment (3x days) is in my claw. Before, releasing the UC beast, upon my claim. As you never know if it deletes the payment process? And wouldn't you put it past the DWP , to save a few quid....🧐. Also others have had to wait over 5x week to get your first payment. So best be careful, and not be too 'economically-active'( word )..

Welcome, Xennial. Respect for planning to stick it out on JSA until the very last day possible.

If you have the time to, read through the first few pages of this specific thread. There is a link which explains the JSA run on. From elsewhere, I recall the run on payment isn't paid until the JSA claim has been officially closed down.

As for the optimum time to claim to minimise cashflow problems, your strategy is consistent with advice I have read given to tax credit claimants, ie claim UC when you have received your last legacy benefit payment. The only potential drawback with that approach is the date you receive UC payment may then not align with the day bills need to be paid. I would just add one other thing in your case. Don't forget the 3 bank holidays + the extra one civil servants get in December/January will mean claims may get tangled up in leftover Christmas Party sausage rolls and tinsel - your first UC payment may take longer than 5 weeks to be paid.

For those who have received their Envelope of Doom, are the DWP sending them out 1st or 2nd class, and am I to tell the butler to look out for a white or brown envelope?

Hi Pintel and Ignatius, thank you for the welcome.

You get the letter by 2nd class mail and it will arrive 3 days after the date on the letter. The date on my letter was Wednesday, but it ended up being delivered on Saturday. I think they must be using the alphabet. Both my surname and the location of my jobcentre start with one of the first 5 letters of the alphabet.

I will make an effort to find a job before December. I will be honest and say I don't really try that hard to find a job due to them all being short 2-3 week temporary jobs, but once on Universal Credit will end up having to apply for them types of jobs.

Cheapskates. Surely the move to UC merits a 1st class stamp.

Your point about jobs strikes a chord. I've often seen a temporary job advertised that I wouldn't mind doing but have always been deterred from applying because it would mean having to claim UC once the job had ended. I'm curious to know if I will have anymore enthusiasm for these jobs when I am on UC. I know temporary work is not a real solution, but occasionally I do see jobs that I could tolerate on a temporary basis.

It is a shame my letter didn't go missing in the post, like my returned signed anual benefits verification letters always seem to.

The mess with housing benefits is the main reason why I am hesitant to apply for short-term jobs. My knowledge is based on my previous experience. It was just not worth the hassle, but now it might be a case of just having to go from one short temp job to another and hope something longer comes from it.

Apologies if you know this already, but make sure you have a copy of your tenancy agreement ready for your UC claim, otherwise it will be delayed.

Isn't one of the catches with UC that you don't always get to keep as much of your earnings if you receive the housing element, but will still be expected to take minimal hours jobs? Hopefully I am wrong on this one.