New or old

Hi

I’m on long term ESA (support group) so I shall be migrated to UC at some point. Will I be counted as a new claimant and therefore only be paid half the health element despite being on benefits for many years? It does not seem fair if so but then when were the government ever really fair to claimants!

Shirley Ann

my understanding is as long as you receive a migration notice and claim UC before the deadline there is a top up element called "trasitional element" which will match up with your current amount

Hello latetrain,

This question was answered by Stephen Timms yesterday in written questions and answers in Parliament. Grahame Morris MP asked:

"To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will clarify whether people in receipt of legacy benefits who are migrated to Universal Credit through the managed migration process will be treated as new claimants for the purposes of the health-related element changes proposed in the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill."

I believe the answer Timms gave is that ESA to UC migration claimants will be treated as existing claimants, not new claimants. Correct me if I have misunderstood:

"The Department plans to complete migration of ESA claimants to UC by March 2026. As part of this ESA claimants will be migrated to the UC Health Element. To protect any claimants who have not migrated by April 2026 we intend to mirror as closely as possible the changes made in UC in the ESA rates. Changes to the “support component” and the two disability premia (severe and enhanced disability premium rates) will reflect changes to UC LCWRA rates for existing claimants. Including these commensurate measures aims to give fair treatment for all customers moving onto UC from income related ESA, regardless of their point of migration."

See link:

questions-statements.parliament.uk/writt...ail/2025-06-30/63563

Libra