Overview
- Migration notices to income‑related ESA claimants began in September 2024, with the DWP aiming to have notified this group by December 2025.
- Most claimants get at least three months from the date of their notice to submit a Universal Credit claim, and deadlines can be extended for good reason.
- Those who move to Universal Credit before receiving a managed migration notice will not receive transitional protection that covers any shortfall.
- A new Universal Credit claim typically takes about five weeks for the first payment, though some legacy benefits, including income‑related ESA, provide a two‑week run‑on.
- Around 650,000 people were on income‑related ESA in August 2024, with a broader managed‑migration cohort of roughly 800,000, and income‑related ESA will end after March 31, 2026.