Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir ): Transforming the way that
Department for Work and Pensions delivers its services is key to
ensuring that we improve the customer experience, while
delivering value for money for taxpayers.
The purpose of the Move to Universal Credit programme was to
modernise and simplify the benefits system by replacing older
legacy benefits with a single, monthly payment. Completing the
implementation of Universal Credit is critical to that outcome.
Universal Credit is now claimed by more than 8 million people and
therefore plays a hugely significant role in the fabric of our
society.
On 31st March 2026, we completed the transition of
customers receiving Income Support and income-based Jobseekers
Allowance to Universal Credit, allowing the Department to close
these outdated systems. In addition, I am setting out my
intention to close income related Employment and Support
Allowance and applicable Housing Benefit on 30th June 2026.
Giving sufficient notice and support to some of our most
vulnerable customers was important in enabling everyone who
wanted to transition to Universal Credit the time needed to make
the move.
DWP recognises that for many people, engaging with Universal
Credit is a very different experience to ESA, with the transition
process highlighting changes to appointees for customers as well.
I am therefore further setting out that DWP intends to exempt
customers who require time to find an appointee from the initial
abolition date. DWP will provide customers with the additional
time needed whilst a personal appointee is found, or a corporate
appointee is agreed, finalising a later date for final closure
when it is safe to do so.
DWP will pro-actively engage with customers and their
representatives to support them in making the move to Universal
Credit.
The Department's Move to UC official statistics, published in
February 2026, show that (as of 31st December 2025)
2.4 million individuals across 1.8 million households have been
notified of the need to make the transition to Universal Credit
across all legacy benefits, with over 1.5 million households
going on to make a claim to UC.
The continued engagement and collaboration of our external
stakeholder network has been invaluable in ensuring we continue
to move those who remain on legacy benefits across safely.
It is right that we now continue to review carefully the support
Universal Credit provides, that we make sure we understand our
customers fully and that Universal Credit remains fit for the
next decade and beyond.
Leading the UC review, I have engaged with a wide range of
organisations and people, including those with first-hand
experience of claiming Universal Credit, those who support them
and those with expertise in the system and how it works. DWP has
hosted workshops, roundtables and focus groups and undertaken
research, including a survey of nearly 10,000 customers. This
insight has proved invaluable and I thank those whose time has
gone into fulfilling our manifesto commitment.
