Category: Welfare Benefits

What you need to know about the Universal Credit migration roller coaster

The ‘managed migration’ of claimants to welfare benefit Universal Credit is set to restart this month. This short article gives you an easy explanation of what you need to know to make sure the people who need your help get the information they need.

First, a bit of background …

When Universal Credit (UC) was introduced in 2013 a programme of ‘managed migration’ was introduced. In essence this meant that, as well as new claimants automatically being assessed for UC, existing claimants across a range of other benefits would gradually be moved to the new benefit. These so called ‘legacy benefits’ that were to be replaced by UC include working tax credits, child tax credits, housing benefit, employment and support allowance, income support and jobseeker’s allowance.

The managed migration programme was fraught with difficulties, compounded by a lack of understanding in the support system of the workings of UC. That was a big driver for Society Matters cic introducing its Get to Grips with Universal Credit training course in 2019, with the objective of removing the confusion and ensuring that people were supported to understand their obligations when on this new benefit, and ensuring they were able to effectively manage their claim.

Planned migration did go ahead, and by March 2020 millions of people were claiming UC, but there were still millions claiming legacy benefits that needed to be managed across. However the migration programme was disrupted significant as a result of the pandemic. The requirements of people already claiming were changed, with sanctions pretty much abandoned (as the requirement to seek work and attend appointments which are fundamental to the UC ‘Claimant Commitment’ were no longer feasible) and the migration programme came to a standstill whilst a massive 1.5 million people claimed UC for the first time.

The Universal Credit Migration Roller coaster starts again, but this time with a safety net

There has been some transition from legacy benefits over the past couple of years, as a change in personal circumstance (such as moving house, co-habiting, new children in a family) automatically triggers a reassessment and shift to UC – this has been termed ‘natural migration’. However as at April 2022 the government has estimated that around 2.6 million households in the UK are still claiming legacy benefits, compared to 5.6 million claiming UC, and so it’s now time for that to stop. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has therefore announced the restart of the managed migration programme in full force, with the objective of getting all claimants moved to UC by the end of 2024, building on learning from a pilot that started in Harrogate in 2019.

The government has estimated that more than half of current legacy benefits claimants will be better off on UC, and around 1.4 million households should voluntarily move to gain the increased income outside of the migration programme. Only time will tell whether that comes to fruition, but in the meantime a welcome safety net has been put in place by the DWP they’ve called transitional protection that may top up a person’s UC so it matches their previous benefit income to ensure they are not worse off due to the move.

Transitional protection is achieved by including an extra element of UC in the claim to the value of the difference to the amount received on the legacy benefits and this will last until there is no shortfall between the amount awarded under UC and the amount previously received on the legacy benefits, taking into account changes in circumstances that would have impacted on their original benefits too.

Migration to UC will be triggered with 3 months’ notice

Whilst people are being encouraged to voluntarily migrate to UC, this will no longer be an option when they appear in the migration programme – they will receive a migration notice from DWP giving them a deadline date no less than three months after the migration notice.

There will be some flexibility for people who need longer to adjust or need additional support, but this needs to be formally agreed. Otherwise, if they haven’t made their first UC claim by the deadline day their entitlement and payment to most existing benefits will stop, other than if housing benefit applies this is likely to be paid for two further weeks.

The DWP have said that claims made within one further month after the deadline day will be treated as having been made in time and automatically be backdated to the deadline day, however importantly if a claim is made after that time it will be treated as a new claim altogether. In these circumstances, there will be no transitional protection so there’s a risk people may lose out on a significant top up to maintain their original level of benefits received through the legacy system, so It is very important to let the DWP know if someone might struggle with the migration due to a learning disability or mental health condition for example, so extra support and extended timescales can be agreed.

Help is available

We would always recommend getting a full benefit check whenever there is a change in circumstances (and a ‘better off’ calculation to give people a reading of what their UC payments will be so they can budget), especially during these really challenging times. If help is needed to make a UC application it’s also recommended that people are referred to the ‘Citizens Advice Help to Claim service’.

If you’d like to understand more about UC to help you to improve your confidence and the service you can offer to people please get in touch with Society Matters cic – we provide social solutions, including social welfare training, to help you to make your mark.

Adam Matthews, Social Welfare Instructor

17 May 2022
Why our courses can now earn you CPD points

At Society Matters cic we’ve built a reputation for delivering great training that people need and want. But we’re also not resting on our laurels. We’re continuing to learn from our customers as much as our customers learn from us, and we listen.

When we were asked why our courses weren’t accredited by the CPD Certification Service we had to ask ourselves the same question. Most of our training is delivered to professionals so it stands to reason that you’d want to align the time you’ve spent on our courses and workshops with your other professional development.

So in the Autumn last year we set ourselves the target of getting at least 10 of our courses accredited by the CPD Certification Service within 12 months, and we’re already well on our way, with 3 courses already accredited and 3 more planned this side of Easter.

What does CPD Certification mean?

First of all CPD is a mark of quality. We are proud of the wonderful feedback we receive on our course content and delivery approach, but also recognises that having independent endorsement is so important.

With CPD certification our customers can have absolute confidence in the quality of the material, the content and the delivery approach, so the learning opportunity will have the best possible impact on both personal and organisational development. For training to be awarded CPD certification it will always have been independently assessed and scrutinised to ensure integrity and quality to a high level.

Over and above this, by attending a CPD certified course our customers are awarded CPD points which holds a genuine value in professional development terms, whether that’s simply through the CPD certificate we award after the training, or a serious contribution towards the continuous professional development standard expected by your professional body.

CPD Certified courses – at the same affordable price

We’ve prioritised the development of our most popular social welfare courses, and are proud to have now achieved CPD Certification, as well as being able to keep our prices at a level we know our customers can afford.

Get to Grips with Universal Credit (5½ CPD points)

Get to Grips with Personal Independence Payment (5 CPD points) and

Introduction to Current Welfare Benefits (3½ CPD points)

Next up are our popular ‘Managing and Stress and Avoiding Burnout’ and ‘Mental Health Awareness’ courses, both of which have had rave reviews so you can book now with confidence that CPD accreditation will be in place by the time you attend.

If there’s a course you’re keen to see CPD certified let us know, and we’ll keep you posted on progress over the next few months. If you haven’t already, sign up to our mailing list so we can keep you updated.

12 January 2022
Autumn Budget Changes to Universal Credit Explained in 5 minutes

Social Welfare Instructor Adam Matthews talks to Lee Booth about the changes to Universal Credit which is a shift in the right direction for working claimants, but unfortunately falls short for people who are looking for work.

29 October 2021
Bitesize Benefits Briefing 30.9.21

In this 4 minute podcast Social Welfare Instructor Adam Matthews give us an update on benefits changes that are designed to help people who are terminally ill through extending the period defined by terminal illness.

4 October 2021
Carers Matter …
Care and the care sector has been very much in the news over the past couple of weeks, with a new tax planned to build the capacity of care in the UK. However, what about those carers who are providing care that aren’t part of the formal care system?

It is inevitable that many of us will care for a relative, partner or friend with a disability or long-term health condition in our lifetimes. There are already an estimated 6 million carers in the UK and over 2 million more people become new carers every year. So it’s highly likely that you’re already a carer yourself, or you know someone who’s a carer.

The financial realities of care

Life as a carer can prove stressful, juggling employment with caring responsibilities, navigating the difficulties of the complex welfare benefit system, and keeping yourself above the poverty line. Taking on caring responsibilities can also often be unexpected, so understandably can be a shock to the system, and often life changing for the carer as well as the person being cared for.

Without access to the right support this can take a serious toll on the carer’s quality of life. Critically the most immediate impacts tend to be personal finances and mental health, both of which can also have a major impact on their capacity as a carer.

Recent research from Carers UK also found that 10% of carers in the UK are from a Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) background. Worryingly the report found that more than 60,000 BAME carers in England said they were actually in poor health themselves, slightly higher than ‘White British’ carers, presenting a worrying picture. Particularly as the research shows that BAME carers provide more care proportionately than White British carers, and therefore putting them at greater risk of ill-health, loss of paid employment and social exclusion.

The economics

Unpaid carers take a huge burden off the NHS and Local Authorities when it comes to spending.

In 2019 it was estimated by Carers UK that carers actually save the economy £132 billion per year, a significant average of £19,336 per carer. This reinforces the substantial contribution carers are making not only to society, to family and friends, but also to the public purse – albeit it doesn’t appear that this is reflected in social policy.

Carers are susceptible to poverty

It is a sad fact that, despite these savings, carers are highly likely to be at risk of poverty in the UK. The majority of carers are of working age and 5 million people in the UK are juggling caring responsibilities with work – that’s 1 in 7 of the total UK workforce who juggle low paid work and care.

To make this worse, the welfare benefit system can prove difficult for carers to access. For example, a carer can’t earn more than £128 a week on average to be eligible for Carers Allowance and needs to care for the person 35 hours a week minimum. Even for those eligible, the payments are as low as £67.60 a week which rarely makes up for lost income through reducing hours to provide capacity for caring responsibilities. The carer’s element of Universal Credit is £163.73 a month. Again, this is low in comparison to other benefits in the UK.

The system supporting those needing care is also tricky to navigate. Critically, the person being cared for needs to be on a qualifying disability benefit before a carers allowance application can be made, and this is something families find difficult to do without support – more awareness of this issue and the sources of support available is critical to ensuring carers can access the benefits they need to support them in their lives while they take on the huge responsibility of a caring role.

4 practical steps carers can take to maximise their income
1. Get a full benefit check for both the person being cared for and the carer as soon as possible, to make sure both are getting everything that you are entitled to. Remember the person being cared for will need to be on a qualifying disability benefit before the carer is entitled to anything so will need support with the correct application process Talk to Citizens Advice as early as possible if you need help.
2. Arrange a Needs Assessment and a Home Assessment from your local authority to make sure the person being cared for gets all the assistance they are entitled to. Make a list of all the person’s care needs and whether they are being met or not. Try your best not to downplay the condition and needs that they have – be honest, but thorough, and asking someone else to check it to make sure you haven’t missed anything is always a good idea.
3. Get a Carers Assessment from your local authority. Make sure you make a list of all the tasks and challenges you face as a carer – again ask someone to check this if you can, as they may help you to think of things you didn’t. Another good idea is to keep a diary so you do not miss on all the tasks you do as a carer and highlight where support is needed before the assessment. Always remember, this is not about you asking to be ‘paid to care’ – this is about you accessing support to enable you to care, taking some of the financial strain away so you can care more effectively – for yourself as well as the person you’re caring for.
4. Look for carers’ support locally. Local charities may help with much needed respite for carers or help with shopping, for example. This can help the carer rest and avoid burnout. Carers.org is a great place to start to find local support for both young and adult carers.
Carers matter.

They provide a critical support to millions of people across society, often the ‘unsung heroes’ who are saving the public purse a significant amount of money, and maintaining a quality of life for those who have found themselves in their care. We need to support carers to navigate the system, and to maintain their own quality of life, their mental health and their finances whilst undertaking the crucial role of being a carer.

If you provide welfare support to people with caring responsibilities, we can help you to make your mark on their lives through accessible training on the topic of Carers and Caring Matters.

Find out more here
23 September 2021
Bitesize Benefits Briefing 6.8.21 / Universal Credit uplift is ending

The Universal Credit £20 uplift awarded to all UC claimants as a result of the pandemic is now due to end on 30th September. What does that really mean to the people it will affect most?

Our Social Welfare Instructor Adam Matthews talks through the implications with Jayne Graham in this 9 minute Bitesize Benefits Briefing.

6 August 2021