By the end of March 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans to move everyone currently receiving Income Support, income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance, and Housing Benefit onto a Universal Credit.

Universal Credit is a single, monthly payment, to help with your living costs as well as a housing payment to cover your rent (you will have to pay your rent to your landlord yourself). Find out more here.

What happens?

At some point in the next year, you’ll receive a letter instructing you to claim Universal Credit by a deadline, usually around three months. This letter is called a ‘Migration Notice’. It’s important to claim Universal Credit before the deadline, as your old benefits will stop after this point.

If you claim Universal Credit before the deadline, the DWP may provide extra payments to ensure you’re not financially worse off. This is called ‘transitional protection’.

If your letter doesn’t include a deadline, you don’t have to claim Universal Credit right away unless you want to. However, once you’ve claimed Universal Credit, you won’t be able to return to your old benefits.

Does this change anything with ateb and my rent payments?

Yes, your housing costs will be paid to you instead of direct to ateb and you are responsible for paying your rent to ateb every month when you receive your Universal Credit payment.

If you are worried about making these payments yourself, you can request your housing payment be paid directly to us. This is known as an APA (Alternative Payment Arrangement) and there are certain reasons to be eligible. You can get further advice on this from your Housing Coordinator or speak to the DWP. 

Will I be better or worse off, money-wise?

This depends on your personal circumstances. To get an idea of what you might receive under Universal Credit, you can use an online benefit calculator.

Is there help available?

Yes – ateb can help with your claim and our Community Welfare Coordinator can bring Dot.e. our digital support van and equipment to your doorstep.

If you are worried about paying your rent or have any other concerns you can also contact your ateb Housing Coordinator.

Alternatively you might also want to contact Citizens Advice here, who can provide free, independent, support and advice.  

Should I claim Universal Credit now or wait for the letter?

We don’t recommend claiming Universal Credit before receiving your Migration Notice, as you won’t qualify for transitional protection. However, if you’ve checked your expected benefits and they are higher under Universal Credit, you may want to consider making a claim. We suggest seeking advice from an independent source, like Citizens Advice, before deciding.

Final thoughts

Moving to Universal Credit may feel overwhelming, but help is at hand. Take the time to understand your options, seek advice, and use the resources available to you. At ateb, we’re here to support you every step of the way. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team — we’re happy to help.