Universal Credit managed migration: pilot to launch in Yorkshire town

13 Mar 2019 02:56 PM

The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that a managed migration pilot scheme will begin in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

The process of ‘managed migration’ is whereby benefit claimants on the old system move on to the new system.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd MP has previously confirmed that up to 10,000 claimants across the country who are on the old system would be moved to Universal Credit under a pilot scheme to start in July 2019 once regulations have been passed in the House of Commons.

Universal Credit

Currently, over 1.6 million people claim Universal Credit, but these people are new claimants or those who have had a change in circumstance. All new claimants in the United Kingdom now go straight onto Universal Credit.

The completion of the moving legacy benefit claimants to Universal Credit is set to finish by December 2023.

RLA campaigning work on Universal Credit

The RLA has long campaigned for changes to Universal Credit, with DWP Minister Justin Tomlinson MP praising its campaigning work at the RLA’s Future Renting Wales conference last winter.

Addressing a packed room of delegates, the minister said: “The RLA are one of the most proactive and constructive trade bodies, and listen to your concerns. I know from meetings with the RLA that they are a very constructive voice for landlords”.

In January, at a job centre in Kennington, Amber Rudd made several announcements on Universal Credit, including the development of a new online system for landlords to receive direct rent payments-something which the RLA has been campaigning for.

Learn more about Managed Migration and Universal Credit

• The RLA run training courses for landlords on Universal Credit. These are taught by LHA and Universal Credit expert Bill Irvine. With upcoming classroom course dates in Manchester and Leeds, book your place today.
• Read Bill Irvine’s latest blog: Mixed aged couples-pension or Universal Credit?
• The DWP has recently produced a Universal Credit newsletter for landlords. You can read this online here.

Watch Justin Tomlinson’s speech at our Future Renting Wales conference in full here