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Blog posted by: Chris Brill Tuesday, 17 July 2018.

The ‘most challenging’ part of Universal Credit is set to begin next year when around 3 million legacy claimants are moved on to Universal Credit. 

How can the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ensure that no-one experiencing homelessness slips through the net?

 “I think managed migration is the most challenging bit of the Universal Credit programme.” Neil Couling (UC Director General) during Public Accounts Committee evidence session (9 July 2018)

The Government has proposed regulations on ‘managed migration,’ the process by which claimants in receipt of legacy benefits will be moved on to Universal Credit. The regulations are set to be debated in Parliament at the end of the year.

It is intended that the full managed migration process will then begin on a small scale, with an increase in volumes by July 2019. The process is set to be completed by 2023.

It is estimated that around three million claimants will be migrated on to Universal Credit through the ‘managed migration’ process. The vast majority of these will be people in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Tax Credits.

Current proposals for managed migration

Details of the proposed process can be found in the Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the draft regulations (paragraphs 26 – 46). Some key points include:

• There will be a four to six months preparation period for claimants, where they will receive a ‘warm-up’ letter outlining that their existing benefits will be ending and that they will have to make a claim for Universal Credit.
• The letter will include information on the additional support claimants can access and particular activities they may need to complete to make a claim (for example open a bank account and ensure that they have appropriate identification.
• A notification letter will be issued informing claimants that they will need to make a new Universal Credit claim by a specific day. This date will be a minimum of one month away, but there will be flexibility for this to be extended (up to three months), if it is identified that claimants require longer (for example, if they are ‘vulnerable’ or ‘have complex needs.’)
• Notifications can be cancelled ‘where it is identified that a claimant has complex needs that would make it impossible to complete the managed migration at that time.’ The DWP will then arrange to contact the claimant at a future date to check whether it is appropriate to re-issue a notification inviting the claimant to re-enter the managed migration process. This process will be contained in the guidance.
• Claimants will be reminded two weeks after the notification has been sent and then one week before the day that they need to make a Universal Credit claim. If a claimant does not make a new Universal Credit claim by the deadline day, their existing benefits will end.
• Before existing benefits are stopped, the DWP will check for evidence of ‘complex needs’ or ‘vulnerability’ to safeguard these claimants. If it is considered that a claimant has ‘complex needs’ or is ‘vulnerable’ then they will be offered either an extension of the deadline, a home visit or be temporarily removed from the managed migration process.

Making this work for people experiencing homelessness

Homeless Link believes that a sustainable home and a job is the best route out of homelessness and that an adequate safety net for those not yet able to work is essential to prevent them from falling into crisis and to support them out of homelessness for good.

We will be meeting with DWP officials in the coming months to discuss how the proposals meet this ambition. We will also be presenting evidence to the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC), who will be briefing MPs when they debate the regulations later in the year.

As the membership body for the homelessness and supported housing sector in England, Homeless Link is in a unique position to understand and assess how these proposals will affect people currently experiencing homelessness. We are therefore seeking your views on these proposals, including:

• The overall migration timetable
• The proposed arrangements for moving people on to Universal Credit
• Any issues currently associated with making a claim to Universal Credit
• What you think the process for people moving from legacy benefits to Universal Credit should be?

We are also keen for you to share any examples or case studies you have that evidence where Universal Credit is/isn’t working well.

It is crucial that the knowledge and insight of our members and people with lived experience of homelessness are heard as these regulations are developed and debated.

Please contact Chris Brill at chris.brill@homelesslink.org.uk or 0207 840 4421 by Wednesday 1 August 2018 with your views and examples on this important issue.