Statistics released this week by the DWP show that 32% of all claimants sent a universal credit (UC) migration notice up to the end of February 2024 failed to make a successful claim and had their legacy benefits terminated.

In total, a shocking 284,660 individuals did not make a valid claim and had their benefits stopped.

The DWP are quick to point out that “households who have been sent a migration notice to date may not be representative of the complete population who will be sent a migration notice” because the majority are tax credit households.

The reality is, however, that the DWP have no idea whether the number of people who will disappear from the system when it is income-related ESA claimants who are being transferred, will be smaller or even greater.

The department have not done any detailed research into why so many claimants are failing to migrate and it may well be that ESA claimants will face even greater barriers to claiming than tax credit claimants.

At the moment, Labour have still made no announcement as to whether they are going to postpone or slow down the forced migration of income-related ESA claimants to UC, due to start next month.

But the closer we get to the deadline to begin sending out migration notices, the more likely it seems that the move is going ahead.

You can read the latest UC migration statistics here.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Bud · 1 months ago
    This is what they meant by getting people off benefits.  The system was set up to make people fail. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      robbie · 1 months ago
      @Jon
      Government says it can't afford it, but has to pay rising sickness benefit bill because those who should be on state pension are not fit for work.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 1 months ago
      @keepingitreal My parents got there pensions at 60 and 65 but sadly for those born in the 1950s onwards it is 66 years at the moment because the government couldn't afford it anymore
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      keepingitreal · 1 months ago
      @Jon People who are 60 plus and should have been getting their state pension, not trapped between the rock of poverty and the hard place of means tested benefits.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 1 months ago
      @Bud Unless some of the people who have dropped out of the system are 60 plus and they are reluctant to claim universal credit.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Aw · 1 months ago
    I've been following someone in one of the trial areas who like me can't have direct contact with the DWP but isn't incapable enough to have an appointee. They have been trying to organise their ID check but so far without success. The DWP won't accept a relative taking the documents and the claimaint can't have a home visit or use the phone same as me. There is nothing to replace the paper based ESA system. His deadline is fast approaching as is the threat of losing transitional protection if he misses it, but the DWP won't budge. It's not looking good for us.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Teresa · 1 months ago
      @Michael Not claimants that no longer live in uk, us Expats in the EU aren't able to register afaik.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Michael · 1 months ago
      @Aw The right ID!?

      They accept a debit card.

      Everybody has a form of ID they require, I assure you.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Aw · 1 months ago
      @Michael Only if you have the right iD, if you don't they still demand to see you in person.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Michael · 1 months ago
      @Aw You just need to upload a form of ID with your online migration application. You don't need to see, speak or appoint anyone.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      James · 1 months ago
      @Aw I would contact my local MP about this and he/she may come up with a solution by contacting the dwp directly. It almost seems to me it is indirect discrimination of the sick and disabled taking place. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    axab · 1 months ago
    Is this something we should worry about?  I have severe depression/anxiety and cannot go out at all.  If someone was to just stop benefits, I would not be able to survive.  These figures could make people with mental health issues even worse, when it is a struggle to carry on with severe depression anyway.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Stewart Edwards · 1 months ago
    Silly question, but I wonder how many’s migration notices have been lost in the post? I mean how would you know that you are supposed to migrate?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      denby · 1 months ago
      @mrfibro ..onus [meaning load!]
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro · 1 months ago
      @philip They put the onice on the claimant <<-  ( if that's how it's spellt), fully knowing thousands of claimants will fail to do so, for many reasons.

      It's a win win situation for the DWP / goverment which saves them billions.


    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro · 1 months ago
      @Stewart Edwards Exactly.  One thing we do know is !!!!  that you can't trust the DWP period.

      And how would you prove it otherwise, that they did not send you out such a notification ?

      284,660  people now lost their benefits, do the maths on an average a claimant get per week, multiply it by 52 * X amounts of years.

      The monies saved works out astronomical. So that should fill in one of these black holes on the backs of disabled, sick, ill people.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 1 months ago
      @philip Phillip I got the information off a site online might have been gov.uk I saw it when I was browsing.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      philip · 1 months ago
      @Jon Hello Jon. Are you sure of this ? How did you come by this information. One letter going missing is possible. 3 less so. Why oh why don't they transfer claimants automatically ?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    T · 1 months ago
    It's becoming more clear daily than labour simply don't care about us and what's best for them...   Anybody who had any brains and compassion would freeze this petrifying migration before a lot of lives are lost.
      I know for myself that I'm not going to be able to cope when I get the invite to migrate from esa support group to universal credit.  I won't be able to do it because I'll not be able to communicate with them at the jobcentre or on phone, so I'll not be able to sign claimant commitment.  I've just resigned myself to live as long as I keep my PIP and until saving run out because I can't live. I'm 40 years old, I shouldn't be planning the end. 
      I'm worried more for the unfortunate people who will have no support at all from doctors, psychiatrist or a person who gives them emotional support, I can't begin to imagine what they must be going through with this migration to UC worry.  
       They could make this whole migration to UC so much easier and humaine but clearly don't want to. They haven't even tried to take into account how many of us from the very start will not be able to start the process of migration to UC, everyone is so different with the illnesses, should have been done automatically.

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Teresa · 1 months ago
      @T You are interacting here today online, there will be a way to communicate them them.. be that on the phone or via email. We just have to share documentation evidence.
      I live in EU now, haven't been able to travel back to UK in 10 yrs because of restrictions physically. 
      But my PIP and ESA claims have been updated, typically they once they figure out a Swedish GP will not fill out a full ESA form when he is a stranger to me. They literally expected me to see a private GP and get forms completed, but then they sent the entire 26 page document. The Dr would know nothing about my pain and ability to cope at home until i told him.. exactly as i had already done by complating the forms myself. 
      My GP had read them, for info he wrote see my written documentation, but they didn't like that. 

      Took best part of 2 yrs to get my ESA continued. I'm a 56 yr old medically retired RN that had to stop working in 1993 and hasn't had a pain free day since. (CRPS in my leg, sciatic nerve from hip to toe)
      Yet still i complete these papers every 3 yrs, its like they suddenly expect a cure, or that despite what they might think, i have told the truth throughout. But they cannot trust me .... they'd hear me from here if my condition disappeared tomorrow! Its been a long 32 yrs of constant pain!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Michael · 1 months ago
      @T Sorry, but this is not true.

      You sign the claimant commitment as part of your online application.

      It's literally a tick box excercise for that element.

      The whole point of the migration is to make it as simple as possible for the claimant. It would literally be impossible for them to see everybody for a physical signature. Hence the online application.

      Trust me. What I say is correct and factual.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      T · 1 months ago
      @Michael Thank you. 
       unfortunately it's the signing of the claimant commitment that requires the face to face interaction whether it be at the jobcentre or somebody coming to the home. Without signing the claimant commitment you can't get the universal credit.   To be excused from signing the claimant commitment I need to lack capacity mentally, I could do this but I'd need to stop taking medication which is definitely a big no go.  There is unfortunately unavoidable social interactions in order for the vast majority of us migrating from esa to UC. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Michael · 1 months ago
      @T No need to worry. Everything is online. You don't need to communicate with anybody.

      It's also relatively easy to do.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Michael · 1 months ago
      @Michael 6 down votes for advising him that this is how the migration works. You don't speak to anybody, it is literally all online with relevant information uploaded.

      It's relatively easy to do.

      These are facts. Sorry if it doesn't suit your ideology.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jon · 1 months ago
    If a large number of people aren't migrating to universal credit perhaps they are relying just on pip and savings.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Teresa · 1 months ago
      @Jon Or wrongly believe their benefits will be removed... My benefits go back to tax free for life commitment for my benefits, began claim for this injury at work in 1991. 

      I also live outside of UK now. I know i shouldn't lose anything, that would be unlawful, but the threat that i would have to claim UC makes me wonder if they suddenly need to consider my partners income for my ESA.. because it never has and shouldn't now. The UK still needs to support me for my inability to work. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      James · 1 months ago
      @mrfibro AI the cure all panacea to all the problems - not. It is too early for implementation of an AI based system when the logic AI systems will use have not been fully tested. I find it fascinating how one minister after another go on talking about AI as a magic wand!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      James · 1 months ago
      @Michael They have spent billions on their new systems already! I also don't understand how it will cost millions to migrate data from existing systems to new systems by exporting and importing data! This would be the cost of perhaps 1-2 database administrators involved in doing this and I doubt if it would even take a full year unless they make a meal out of it!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro · 1 months ago
      @James More likely spending billions of pounds on trying to get an AI up and running, so they can all sit on their arises and coin it in lol.

      I doubt there's any savvy script kids @ the DWP
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Michael · 1 months ago
      @James They are not going to spend millions migrating 2 very different systems that could still potentially have many flaws. Then you'd have yet something else to complain about when it doesn't migrate correctly.

      Far easier to get the user to complete the online form. Which really isn't difficult provided you have all the basic information they require.

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