Moving to Universal Credit

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is starting to migrate those who live in Chelmsford and get Housing Benefit and Child Tax Credit and/or Working Tax Credit onto Universal Credit.

If you currently get Housing Benefit and Child or Working Tax Credit, the DWP will send you a migration notice letter when it's your turn.

You must wait for a migration letter before you apply for Universal Credit. If you apply for Universal Credit before you get your migration letter, you may lose money.

Once you start to get Universal Credit your Housing Benefit will end. If you do not make a claim for Universal Credit your Child/Working Tax Credit will stop but Housing Benefit will carry on. To make sure you don’t lose money you should make a claim for Universal Credit when invited.

If you need help moving to Universal Credit, you can call the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline on 0800 169 0328. You can find more information about the move to Universal Credit on the GOV.UK website.

We will not be able to help you with the migration process or Universal Credit. We will continue to provide any Council Tax Support that you get. If your circumstances change, you should still report it to us online.