DWP confirms “small numbers” of ESA managed migrations from September

Details: Published: 07 October 2024

The DWP has confirmed that “small numbers” of employment and support allowance claimants have now received universal credit (UC) managed migration notices.

The news was included in the latest edition of the “LA Welfare Direct Bulletin” sent out to local authority staff today. It follows on from the DWP changing the official “Move to universal credit” website in late September to say that ESA claimants may get their migration letter “From September 2024”.

Under the headline “Update: Move to UC” the bulletin states:

“In September 2024, we started issuing Migration Notices to households receiving Pension aged tax credits (including mixed aged couples), income-based Jobseekers Allowance and small numbers of income-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) (including ESA with HB).”

No further information is included, for example, when the process will be ramped up to include significant numbers of ESA claimants.

But it looks as though the DWP is adopting an initially cautious approach to see what issues arise with these first cases before tackling larger numbers of claimants. However, the longer the early “test and learn” phase lasts, the greater the pressure will be to rush claimants through if everyone is to receive their migration notice by the deadline of December 2025.

You can read the LA Welfare Direct Bulletin here.

Comments

or post as a guest

People in conversation:

Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
empty123 · 7 days ago
Can somebody kindly explain to me what ‘means testing pip’ actually means. I’m OAP getting the new state pension and pip. If they means test it would I lose it all. I cannot possibly work no matter what I’m too ill and riddled with arthritis plus about 8 other long term conditions, Dystonia being one of them. No way could I work it’s impossible. Just wondered if it does get means tested what does that mean. Thank you kindly anyone and all the very best to all
- 1 Up 4 Down
- Reply
- Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  marc2013 · 6 days ago
  
  @empty123 Hi empty123
  
  Rather than give you a long confusing explanation of how it all works I can tell you that if your only income is State Pension and PIP, even if they do means test PIP the most you could lose is £3.05 each week.
  Hope this puts your mind at rest
  
  2 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Darren · 6 days ago
  
  @Clive Did not know that
  
  0 Up 1 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Clive · 6 days ago
  
  @Darren 6000 is the limit for what ?
  Makes no difference how much you have in the bank for either pension or pip which is not means tested so don't worry
  
  0 Up 1 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Missy · 6 days ago
  
  @empty123 It means they look at how much money you have coming into your house. If all you have is the state pension that wont push you over a means test. PIP is not allowed to be used as an income when you are means tested for anything because that money is to help with your disabilities not help pay your bills.
  
  3 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Darren · 7 days ago
  
  @empty123 I think it mean how much money you have in the bank. £6000 is the limit
  
  2 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
Andi66 · 7 days ago
Why bring it forward from 28/ 29, Knowing a flaw in UC . We are vunerable. The same worry is with Pip what's happening. I'm still waiting back from my IR Esa review form , since January
- 9 Up 1 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
Adam · 8 days ago
Depression Anxiety is crippling I shut the world out have no energy. I can’t even do the small household stuff, I focus on everything overwhelming me, my body aches and hurts. My physical problems greatly add to this. I can’t be around anyone. Just dreading what may come as I know I won’t have energy to deal with it. Just wish charities were really standing up against all this to stop me spiralling further…’
- 24 Up 4 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
CantSeeTheJoin · 8 days ago
Am I alone in being unable to see the join from where the Tories left off and Labour picked up?

Personally, I don't expect any extension to timelines, nor do I envisage any changes to plans from Labour. Particularly so with the combo of Reeves and Kendall holding the responsibility.

Reeves comes across as so far out her depth that we can no longer even see her waving from the shore.

Kendall is the biggest suck-up I have ever witnessed, and she'll be looking for mega Brownie points off the back of what she's prepared to sacrifice from *her* budget towards the corporate pot.
- 27 Up 1 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
Ah · 8 days ago
To determine how many letters must be sent out each week and month for 1.6 million people claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to migrate to Universal Credit (UC) by December 2025, we need to calculate the number of weeks and months between now (October 2024) and December 2025.

Step 1: Calculate the time frame
Current date: October 2024
End date: December 2025
The time frame is approximately 14 months or about 60 weeks from October 2024 to December 2025.

Step 2: Calculate letters per week
Total number of people: 1.6 million
Time period: 60 weeks

≈26,667 letters per week

Step 3: Calculate letters per month
Total number of people: 1.6 million
Time period: 14 months

≈114,286 letters per month

Summary:
Letters per week: Approximately 26,667
Letters per month: Approximately 114,286
This means that to ensure all 1.6 million ESA claimants migrate to UC by December 2025, approximately 26,667 letters need to be sent out each week, or 114,286 letters each month.
- 12 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Ah · 7 days ago
  
  @DJMH15 DJMH15 Not autistic
  
  2 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  DJMH15 · 7 days ago
  
  @Ah Ah, a fellow autist!
  
  3 Up 3 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  MrFibro · 7 days ago
  
  @Ah The DWP will simply employ more people to cope with the demand, and transition.
  
  7 Up 3 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  HRH · 8 days ago
  
  @Ah thank you for taking the time to calculate this.
  
  based on your clear calculations, it is moe likely than not that, the esa to UC migration letters will not be sent by December 2025
  
  14 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
Bonnie · 8 days ago
Thanks for this information, it makes it clearer, theres people on you tube with misleading information and not helpful. This makes it clear
- 5 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
Jonno · 8 days ago
This paragraph in your analysis leapt out at me.

"However, the longer the early “test and learn” phase lasts, the greater the pressure will be to rush claimants through if everyone is to receive their migration notice by the deadline of December 2025."

Let's hope we hear at the budget that the test and learn phase will be implemented carefully and slowly and that the date for everyone to be migrated has been put back from December 2025.
- 10 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  DJMH15 · 7 days ago
  
  @Jonno I thought it was this December, first time have realised it is next year
  
  3 Up 2 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
JJ · 8 days ago
I await October 30th's budget with baited breath, wondering what horrors are up the sleeves of Reeves. Any predictions? You see with me I procrastinate, think too much but I do think that more will be done to tackle the growth of depression/anxiety which is affecting the younger generations the most.

Is Depression and Anxiety enough for you not to work? I was signed off with depression/anxiety in 2019 and I took part in a course and I was recovering then covid happened, I lost the plot completely
- 15 Up 4 Down
- Reply
- Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Bobby · 6 days ago
  
  @JJ Nothing will happen. Labour will just carry on with what the stories have already implemented. They are vile period
  
  4 Up 1 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Mr Y. · 7 days ago
  
  @MrFibro Won't make much sense that. Because forcing long term sick/ disabled people too quickly into jobs they obviously can't do to the required standards , would just be totally unproductive for the employers & just make the
  long-term sick / disabled people even worse. They would have to make certain that people can actually perform work duties to the required standard & that they can cope in the workplace environments too.
  
  7 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Jon · 7 days ago
  
  @MrFibro Kendall's main priority is the 18 to 24 year olds which is a cohort of over half a million who she wants in work or training
  
  3 Up 2 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Rik · 7 days ago
  
  @JJ Predictions for the budget: A freeze on benefit increases for anything between 1 -3 years.
  
  Predictions for Kendall's "Getting Britain Working": means-tested PIP (while not increasing the benefit cap), more reviews of ESA/UC claimants and, I reckon, scrapping of the Support Group.
  
  2 Up 4 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  MrFibro · 7 days ago
  
  @JJ Who knows, which route, kendall make take to get people back into work. It may be by age ie younger people first.
  
  Or by claimants health conditions / disabilities etc.
  
  Or she may just go with all guns blazing on anyone, and everyone irrespective of age.
  
  The proof will be in the pudding.
  
  8 Up 2 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share

News