The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an important warning to state pensioners who claim Tax Credit.
The individuals concerned will be sent a letter in the post before the current fiscal year ends.
DWP Alerts Tax Credit Recipients to Transition to Universal Credit by Deadline
Tax Credits recipients have been alerted about upcoming the legacy benefit as they are moved to Universal Credit under the managed migration system. The DWP will send a Migration Notice to those affected who are being transitioned, as reported by the Birmingham Live.
These benefits will soon be replaced by Universal Credit: Tax credits: Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Other benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), will remain unchanged. To keep on receiving financial assistance, it is crucial to claim Universal Credit by the deadline date mentioned in your letter. This is three months from the date the letter was issued.
What Should I Do if I Miss the Universal Credit Deadline?
If you fail to claim Universal Credit by the deadline date, you should reach out to the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline as quickly as possible. You might prolong the time to make a claim if you have a valid reason, but you need to submit your request before the deadline.
Those who get a Migration Notice or Closure Notice may qualify for additional funds to help cover any benefit gaps arising from following the conclusion of their Tax Credit claims. The compensation is referred to as a transitional additional amount. For those moving to Universal Credit, this assistance is supplied as a transitional element.
In order to calculate how much you could get on Universal Credit, you can use a free and anonymous benefit calculator.
It's important to note that benefit calculators do not display any transitional protection (top-up payments) or deductions for a debt, so may not provide accurate results.