Final Universal Credit migration notices issued to ESA claimants

The final migration notices in the Move to Universal Credit campaign were issued in the week beginning 1 September 2025, according to the Resolution Foundation, which reported "the final migration notices being issues this week"¹. Turn2us had earlier stated that all managed migration notices were expected to be sent by the end of September 2025². Shelter England told claimants receiving income-related Employment and Support Allowance that they "could get the letter between now and September 2025"³ and that they "should get it by September 2025"⁴.

A migration notice is a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions setting out the date by which a claim to Universal Credit must be made. Shelter England states that claimants usually have three months to claim from the date the letter arrives, and that the DWP also sends a reminder³. It adds that people should not apply for Universal Credit before receiving the letter, because they might get less money³. Claims can be backdated by up to one month where there is a good reason for not claiming earlier⁴. The first monthly payment does not arrive for at least five weeks⁴.

The Resolution Foundation says the migration has produced an "artificial" increase in the number of people entering the Universal Credit health caseload over the past year¹. It reports that over a third of Universal Credit claimants are in the health group, up from 32 per cent a year earlier, and that four in five of those going through a Universal Credit work capability assessment end up in the LCWRA group, which receives a top up of £423 per month and has no work search requirements¹. Before the recent change, the proportion receiving additional benefits from the assessment stood at about 65 to 70 per cent¹.

The Resolution Foundation also reports that the UC Bill passed through Parliament earlier in September 2025, and that it will halve the amount of health-related Universal Credit paid to most new claimants from 2026 onwards, from £423 to £217 per month, while the standard element rises gradually for all claimants¹.

Health-related claims are unevenly spread. The Resolution Foundation reports that only three in ten Universal Credit claimants in London are in the health group, against more than two-fifths of those in the North East, Wales and Scotland¹. In Inverclyde, over half of claimants are in the health group; in Newham, less than a quarter¹. The ten local authorities with the highest proportion are all in Scotland and Wales, ranging from 47 per cent to 52 per cent¹. Among claimants aged 60 to 64, more than three-fifths receive a health element, almost double the proportion of claimants aged 16 to 59¹.

The Resolution Foundation states that 3.1 million families now receive a health-related benefit, up from 2.9 million a year earlier and 2.3 million on the eve of the pandemic¹.

Why it matters for households

People who were receiving income-related Employment and Support Allowance and have not yet received a migration notice should expect one, with the final notices issued in the week beginning 1 September 2025¹ and all notices expected by the end of September 2025². The notice sets the deadline for claiming Universal Credit, usually three months from receipt³. Claiming before the notice arrives can mean less money³, and the first payment takes at least five weeks⁴. Where someone moves from ESA to Universal Credit, another work capability assessment is not usually needed, though the DWP may require one if a condition changes or a review was due⁴. Transitional protection is available for eligible claimants moving across. From 2026, most new claimants in the health group will receive £217 per month rather than £423¹.

What happens next

The Resolution Foundation says it remains unclear how far the UC Bill reforms will reduce the number of new health-related claims, or what the impact will be on those affected¹. Turn2us states that the Government will start a review of Personal Independence Payment assessments in autumn 2025, expected to finish by autumn 2026².