Universal credit rollout officially concludes
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that two benefits claimed by millions of people have ended as the rollout of universal credit officially concludes, reports BritPanorama.
The government’s ‘move to universal credit’ scheme has seen claimants of all six ‘legacy benefits’ gradually migrated to universal credit since 2023. Wednesday marked the final phase of the plan, with income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) and housing benefit brought to an end.
The other benefits involved in the migration are child tax credit, working tax credit, income support, and income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA).
With this transition, two million people have now moved from these “outdated” benefits to universal credit, the DWP has confirmed, as it officially marks the conclusion of the scheme.
Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability, told The Independent: “The successful completion of move to universal credit marks a major milestone, with nearly two million people having now moved on to universal credit from legacy benefits, including income-related employment and support allowance and housing benefit, which have now closed for most working households.”
Timms elaborated, “We’ve provided extensive tailored support to ensure the most vulnerable customers are supported on every step of their journey, including home visits, specialist safeguarding referrals, dedicated Jobcentre staff and extra time for those requiring an appointee.”
Around 1.6 million people were still claiming housing benefit as of February, largely comprising those in temporary accommodation and of state pension age. It remains open for these claimants despite the milestone.
Some experts have criticized the move to universal credit scheme, arguing that the DWP’s migration notice system – where claimants are given three months to migrate or face losing their benefits – does not work for all individuals.
In August 2025, research from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) warned that some people faced “slipping through the net” during their transition to the benefit, with evidence that some claimants “are missing deadlines and losing their income.” This loss of income can lead to a “hard landing,” researchers noted.
Last month, The Independent uncovered the case of a vulnerable couple who lost £600 a month in their transition to universal credit after receiving misleading advice about the migration scheme from their local council.
Sir Stephen added that the end of the scheme comes “alongside significant steps we’ve already taken to help people into work — reforming universal credit to remove barriers that pushed people towards long-term sickness benefits, introducing the right to try, and committing £3.5bn to support sick and disabled people into employment.”
The veteran Labour MP is currently leading a review into the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Britain’s most-claimed health and disability-related benefit with nearly four million claimants. This review is expected to report in the autumn and was announced last year amid concerns over proposed cuts to the benefit which prompted a threatened backbench Labour rebellion against the government.
The DWP’s overhaul of the benefits system continues to elicit varied responses, as the impact of these changes becomes more widespread.
