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Moving to Universal Credit and transitional protection
This information applies to England and Wales.
All legacy benefits ended on 31 March 2026:
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
If you need benefits, you can apply for Universal Credit.
How to claim Universal Credit (GOV.UK)
Use a benefits calculator to check you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to.
Some people can claim Housing Benefit. You can make an application if you:
- are over State Pension age (and your partner who lives with you is too)
- live in temporary accommodation arranged by the council
- live in supported or sheltered accommodation
Skip to
- Find a local benefits adviser
- Transitional protection
- Use a free online benefits calculator
- Starting a new Universal Credit claim
- Rules for income and savings
- Universal Credit claimant commitments
- Deductions from Universal Credit
- If your Universal Credit increases, you receive less in transitional payments
- Get advice to help you plan
- Transitional element of Severe Disability Premium
- Transitional payments and living with a partner
- Transitional protection and managed migration to Universal Credit
- Check you are receiving your new benefits
- Council tax reduction eligibility
- Moving house
Transitional protection
When you moved to Universal Credit, you may have been eligible for transitional payment. This is extra money to help with the move.
There are 2 types of payment. What type you get depends on your situation:
- If you had a change in circumstances while you are receiving Severe Disability Premium (SDP), you may have been eligible for the transitional element of Severe Disability Premium.
- If the DWP moved you to Universal Credit in a ‘managed migration’, you may have been eligible for transitional protection.
These 2 elements are different. The transitional element of SDP is usually less than transitional protection.
Use a free online benefits calculator
Use a free online benefits calculator to:
- find out what you are entitled to
- see how changes would affect your benefits
Warning You can ask for an advance payment
You usually must wait 5 weeks before you get your first Universal Credit payment. You can apply for an advance payment before then.
Get an advance on your first payment (GOV.UK)
Universal Credit is usually paid monthly. You can ask for more frequent payments.
If you are struggling to pay bills and afford food, there is help available.
Starting a new Universal Credit claim
If you did not make your claim before the managed migration deadline, the DWP will ask if you have a condition that affects your ability to work. This may lead to a Work Capability Assessment. This will decide how much money you receive and what you will need to do to receive it (known as the claimant commitment).
Work Capability Assessment (WCA)
When you claim Universal Credit, you will need to:
- create an account to make a claim
- provide your bank details so they can pay you
- prove your identity
- provide up-to-date information, for example about your housing
You may also need to provide evidence about yourself or your children.
Universal credit: how to claim (GOV.UK)
Get advice on Universal Credit.
Rules for income and savings
There are different rules around income and savings to those for tax credits.
How much Universal Credit you get will depend on what you get from:
- work
- pensions
Universal Credit claimant commitments
When you claim Universal Credit, you have a claimant commitment. Your claimant commitment depends on which group the DWP has put you in.
Universal Credit claimant commitment
If you have work-related requirements, you will have to provide evidence regularly. For example, job applications you have submitted, so it is worth making sure you keep good records.
All claimants must declare changes to their circumstances, for example moving to a new address or changes to your earnings.
Deductions from Universal Credit
You may have deductions from your Universal Credit. This could be for:
- advance payments
- sanctions
- overpayments
- debts, such as water bills
- arrears
- child maintenance
Citizens Advice has advice on what you can do if your Universal Credit is reduced or stopped.
Contact the Scope helpline if you need support.
If your Universal Credit increases, you receive less in transitional payments
The money you receive will stay the same until you stop receiving transitional payments.
If you start by receiving a total of £1,000 a month from:
- £900 Universal Credit
- £100 transitional element
Then the Universal Credit rate goes up to £950. You would still receive a total of £1,000 from:
- £950 Universal Credit
- £50 transitional element
If the Universal Credit rate increases by another £50, you would still receive £1,000. The transitional element would then be £0.
If your Universal Credit rate goes up again to £1,050, you would receive all of it. This is because you would not be receiving any transitional payments.
(These are example figures, not real Universal Credit rates.)
Get advice to help you plan
Contact the Scope helpline to:
- find out if you might be eligible for transitional payments
- discover how your income could change when you start receiving Universal Credit
- work out what you should be entitled to
- get support about moving to Universal Credit
You can also get advice and support from others who have received transitional protection.
Transitional payments are not permanent. It is not always possible to know how long your payments will last. It can depend on:
- how much transitional protection you start with
- how much the rest of your Universal Credit increases
Transitional element of Severe Disability Premium
To be eligible for the transitional element, you must:
- still meet the eligibility criteria for Severe Disability Premium
- start claiming Universal Credit after a change in circumstances within a month of your last SDP payment
If you want to check what benefits you are receiving, contact the DWP.
You may also have this information in a DWP letter.
Universal Credit: How to claim (GOV.UK)
Help to Claim (Citizens Advice)
The transitional SDP element could be less than transitional protection. This means that your income may be less when you start receiving Universal Credit. The transitional SDP element may not be enough to make up the difference.
Warning Change of circumstances
Tell the DWP when something changes in your life. This could include:
- moving house, particularly if you move to a new local authority if you are receiving Housing Benefit
- starting a new job
- stopping work
- having a child
- if a partner starts or stops living with you
- starting or stopping being a carer
If your rent increases, it will not trigger a move to Universal Credit. You should still tell the DWP about it.
What changes in circumstances might trigger a move to Universal Credit (entitledto)
Report a change in your circumstances (GOV.UK)
Some changes of circumstance can mean your transitional protection will stop.
Transitional payments and living with a partner
Your transitional payments will stop if:
- a partner moves in with you
- you move in with your partner
- you move out, and stop living with a partner
If you already live with a partner, you get transitional protection if you:
- had a joint claim of legacy benefit
- met the criteria
- and moved to a joint Universal Credit claim
Transitional protection and managed migration to Universal Credit
You receive transitional protection if you moved to Universal Credit in a 'managed migration' before 1 April 2026.
Transitional protection makes up the difference between your old claim and your new claim.
Transitional protection is no longer available to claimants. You might be eligible for the transitional element of SDP instead.
If you want to check if the total amount of benefits you receive is correct, or if it is less than you used to get or is wrong, you can:
- check your Universal Credit account to see how much you are getting for each element
- and ask the Universal Credit Helpline or send a journal message asking how your transitional payment has been calculated
If you think the amount of Universal Credit you receive is wrong, you can challenge or appeal a benefits decision.
You may find speaking to someone for advice helpful with understanding the DWP’s decision or for support.
If you are in the ESA support group, you will have Limited Capability for Work or Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) from the start of your Universal Credit claim. You will not have to look for work.
Check you are receiving your new benefits
Check your online Universal Credit account to find out if you are receiving:
- transitional protection or
- the transitional element of SDP
You should start receiving them automatically. Transitional payments are not normally backdated.
If you have not received transitional payments and think you should:
- leave a question in your Universal Credit journal, which is in your online account
- contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
If after this you have still not received transitional payments, you can appeal.
Council tax reduction eligibility
Moving to Universal Credit may affect your eligibility for Council Tax reduction.
Council rules on reductions vary. The rules may change each year.
Online calculators may not be accurate as not all councils share their data.
You can speak to your local council for advice.
Moving house
Moving house is often a change of circumstance that would trigger a move to Universal Credit.
This is even more likely if you move to another local authority and receive Housing Benefit.
If this happens, you need to apply for Universal Credit and go through the assessment process.
Exceptions
You could make a new claim for Housing Benefit instead of Universal Credit if any of the following apply. You:
- are over State Pension age
- move to temporary accommodation arranged by your local authority
- move to supported housing or sheltered accommodation
Check what you are eligible for.
Last reviewed by Scope on: 01/04/2026
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