Overview
- The Department for Work and Pensions confirmed on Wednesday that its managed migration programme has ended and that nearly two million people have been moved from legacy benefits to Universal Credit.
- The migration phased out six legacy payments and closed income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit for most working households.
- Housing Benefit remains available to specific groups, with around 1.6 million people still on the payment mainly because they are in temporary accommodation or are of state pension age.
- Campaigners and researchers warned in August 2025 and in later reporting that the DWP’s three-month migration notice system left some people missing deadlines and losing income, and journalists have documented individual cases of lost payments during the move.
- The DWP says it provided tailored support such as home visits, safeguarding referrals and extra time for appointees, and the department is carrying other welfare work forward including Sir Stephen Timms’s PIP review due to report in the autumn.