DWP issues 'act without delay' warning as thousands of letters sent out

The DWP is warning anyone who receives a particular letter in the coming months to 'act without delay' as it ramps up its Universal Credit migration process.

The government has announced that an extra £15 million will be put into the Help to Claim initiative, which helps benefit claimants with their move from old-style legacy benefits to Universal Credit.

Hundreds of thousands of people on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will be sent letters telling them they must move to the new benefits system or risk losing their payments entirely.

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It comes after the government announced during the chancellor's Autumn Budget that the DWP would bring forward the migration date for ESA claimants from 2028 to September this year. The DWP said it aims to have all ESA claimants moved over to Universal Credit by March 2026.

Letters, known as 'migration notices' will be sent to all ESA claimants stating the deadline they need to make a new Universal Credit claim by. The DWP is urging anyone who gets one of these letters to act "without delay" to ensure they keep receiving their benefits.

The Help to Claim scheme, a partnership between the DWP and Citizens Advice, has supported over one million people making a claim to Universal Credit since the programme launched in 2019, according to the government.

DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms said: "This funding boost will support many people as they make the move from old benefits to Universal Credit – ensuring customers feel confident and informed throughout the application process.

"I want to encourage anyone receiving a migration notice over the coming months to act without delay to secure