Guidance

Universal Credit if you’re a ‘mixed age couple’ and get Migration Notice letters

If you’re in a couple where one of you is State Pension age, and you get a Migration Notice, you both need to move to Universal Credit as your benefits will end soon.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 29 August 2024
• Last updated: 21 October 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

• Guidance for Northern Ireland

Only read this guidance if you’re in a couple where one of you is State Pension age and you get Migration Notice letters 

If you’re in a couple and one person is over State Pension age, you’re known as a ‘mixed age’ couple. State Pension age is 66 for both men and women.

If you receive a Migration Notice letter, you can make a claim even if you:

• are working
• are part of a mixed age couple
• have renewed your tax credits
• have money, savings and investments of more than £16,000 (if you get tax credits)
• are receiving a pension

To continue getting financial support, you must claim Universal Credit by the deadline date in your letter.

If you have not received a Migration Notice letter visit the Universal Credit guidance. 

If you get a Migration Notice letter, but are not in a mixed age couple

There are different eligibility rules and guidance if you get a Migration Notice letter and:

• you’re State Pension age, or in a couple who are both State Pension age

• you’re under State Pension age, or in a couple who are both under State Pension age

Benefits that are ending 

The following benefits are ending and are being replaced by Universal Credit: 

• tax credits: Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit, apart from in certain circumstances
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Your benefits will end even if you decide not to claim Universal Credit.

When you need to apply 

To continue receiving financial support you must claim Universal Credit by your deadline date.  

If you cannot claim by the deadline date on your letter, you should contact the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline as soon as possible. 

You may be able to get more time to make a claim if you have a good reason. You must request this before the deadline date on your letter.

Transitional protection 

As your benefits are ending and you need to move to Universal Credit some of the normal eligibility rules for claiming are different. This is known as ‘transitional protection’.

To get transitional protection you must claim by your deadline date.

You will not get transitional protection if you claim before you get a Migration Notice letter.

Transitional protection top up payments 

If the amount you are entitled to on your existing benefits is more than you’ll get on Universal Credit, a top up is available. 

If you have debt from your existing benefits, this will be recovered when you move to Universal Credit and deducted from your Universal Credit amount. See what you’ll get for more on deductions.

You do not need to apply for transitional protection. It will be paid to you automatically if you get a Migration Notice and make a Universal Credit claim by your deadline date. 

If you get tax credits

You can claim Universal Credit even if you have money, savings and investments over £16,000 for 12 assessment periods (about 12 months).  

After this, you will not be eligible for Universal Credit if you still have more than £16,000 in money, savings and investments.  

If you apply after your deadline date and have money, savings and investments of more than £16,000 you will not be able to claim Universal Credit.

Change of circumstances

If you have a change in circumstances, such as separating from your partner, you may not be eligible for transitional protection. If your circumstances change after you’ve made your claim, any transitional protection you receive may stop.

If you have a temporary increase in earnings, this could end your Universal Credit entitlement. If your earnings reduce to Universal Credit eligibility levels again within the next 3 assessment periods, and no other circumstance changes, you can reclaim Universal Credit. Your transitional protection will then be reinstated. 

You may be eligible for Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit will be ending, apart from in the following circumstances:

• you’re in supported or temporary accommodation – your Housing Benefit will continue and will not end
• you’ve received Housing Benefit as a mixed age couple since 14 May 2019 – you could be eligible to reclaim it

You’re in supported or temporary accommodation

If you live in supported or temporary accommodation, your Housing Benefit will continue to be paid by your local council.

If you decide not to claim Universal Credit, you’ll continue to get Housing Benefit. However, your other benefits or tax credits will end.

As you’re getting Housing Benefit, you cannot get the extra amount of Universal Credit to help with housing costs.

If you get Housing Benefit and you’re not sure if you live in supported or temporary accommodation, speak to your local council.

You’ve received Housing Benefit as a mixed age couple since 14 May 2019

Your Housing Benefit will be ending 2 weeks after your deadline date.

However, you could be eligible to reclaim Housing Benefit if you’ve received it as a mixed age couple continuously since 14 May 2019 if:

• you claim Universal Credit

• you do not claim Universal Credit or you’re not entitled to it

You claim Universal Credit

You can reclaim Housing Benefit if you claim Universal Credit by your deadline, receive Universal Credit, then stop claiming. You must reclaim Housing Benefit within 3 months of your Universal Credit ending.

You do not claim Universal Credit or you’re not entitled to it

You can reclaim Housing Benefit if you do not claim Universal Credit, or you claim before your deadline but are not entitled to Universal Credit. You must reclaim Housing Benefit within 3 months of your previous Housing Benefit ending.

You can get advice from your local council about backdating your Housing Benefit claim.

Find out more about Housing Benefit eligibility.

If you do not reclaim Housing Benefit, you may be eligible for housing support to be added to your Universal Credit.

What you’ll get 

On Universal Credit, most people will be entitled to the same amount they received from their previous benefits, or more. If your circumstances change before you make your claim, this may affect the amount you get. 

Your Universal Credit payment is made up of a standard allowance and any extra amounts that apply to you, for example if you: 

• have children

• have a disability or health condition which prevents you from working

• need help paying your rent

Find out more about what you’ll get. 

Benefits calculators

You can use an independent, free and anonymous benefits calculator to estimate how much you could get on Universal Credit. 

Benefit calculators give estimates so may not be accurate.

The entitledto and the Policy in Practice Better Off calculators: 

• calculate transitional protection (top up payments) available
• take into account if you’re State Pension age
• can be used if you receive tax credits and have money, savings and investments of £16,000 or more

Calculations do not include any deductions that may be taken from your Universal Credit amount. 

DWP is not responsible for information given by the calculators.

How Universal Credit is worked out 

Your Universal Credit award is calculated based on your circumstances each month. These are called your ‘assessment periods’. This is different to tax credits which are calculated yearly. 

How much you can get will depend on your partner’s circumstances, as well as your own. 

Earnings 

How much Universal Credit you get will depend on your earnings. This includes income from:  

• full time work

• part time work

• employed or self-employed work

• pensions

Changes in your circumstances can affect how much you’re paid for the whole assessment period – not just from the date you report them. 

Find out how your wages affect your payments.

Deductions 

Money can be taken from your Universal Credit payments to pay for things like: 

• court fines

• rent arrears

• overpayments or arrears from tax credits, Council Tax, Housing Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• utility debts, like electricity, gas, water

Money cannot be deducted from things like your child allowance, childcare, and housing costs. 

Find out more about money taken off your Universal Credit payment. 

If you’re claiming a pension 

You can still claim Universal Credit if you’re accessing your pension. However, the amount of pension you receive will be deducted from your Universal Credit amount and treated as income.

If you have delayed (‘deferred’) your State Pension

If you had delayed taking your pension before you received your Migration Notice, we will not treat your deferred pension as income for 12 assessment periods.

If you then decide to take your pension within this period, it is treated as income.

After 12 assessment periods, the amount of pension you’re entitled to is counted as income, even if you’ve decided not to take it. This is known as ‘notional’ income. This can affect how much Universal Credit you get.  

Once you move to Universal Credit, you will not be able to continue building up any: 

• extra State Pension

• State Pension lump sum (if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016)

Read more about delaying your State Pension.

Fit notes and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs)

If you have been receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

If you have been receiving ESA, you will not need to provide medical evidence such as fit notes, or have a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) if all the following apply:

• you move from ESA to Universal Credit without a break
• you have already completed a WCA
• you were in the ‘support group’ or ‘work-related activity’ group in ESA when you made your claim to Universal Credit 

You may need to have another assessment if your WCA is due for a review or your condition changes.

If you were providing medical evidence on ESA before you moved, you will still need to provide medical evidence on Universal Credit until you get a WCA decision.

If you’re State Pension age and have a health condition or disability

If you have a health condition or disability which means you get a disability benefit, you may be entitled to an extra amount of Universal Credit. You will not need to provide a fit note or have a WCA.

If you do not get a disability benefit, you will need to provide a fit note or have a WCA to be entitled to an extra amount of Universal Credit.

Find out more about health conditions, disability and Universal Credit.

How to claim Universal Credit 

You can apply for Universal Credit online. If you live in Wales, you can also claim in Welsh.

You each need to create an account to make a claim. You must complete your claim within 28 days of creating your account or you’ll have to start again. 

When you or your partner make a claim to Universal Credit your existing benefits that are being replaced by Universal Credit will stop. You cannot go back to those benefits, because they are ending.  

If you cannot apply online, you can claim by phone. Call the Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline.

Couples who live together  

Universal Credit counts 2 people as being a couple if they live in the same household and are:  

• married to each other  

• civil partners of each other  

• living together as if they’re married  

If you live with your partner you must make a joint claim, even if your partner is not eligible for Universal Credit. You cannot claim by yourself.  

You must both create Universal Credit online accounts. The first person to create their account will receive a partner linking code. You need to give this code to your partner to use when they create their online account. This links the accounts together to make your joint account.  

Once you’ve created your account you can make a claim for Universal Credit.  

Couples who live apart 

If you’re in a couple who live apart and you both get Migration Notices, you’ll each need to make separate single claims. 

Because you received a Migration Notice, you’ll still be entitled to the different eligibility rules: 

• you can claim if you’re a full-time student 

• if you get tax credits you can claim if you have money, savings and investments of more than £16,000 

You will not be eligible for the transitional protection top-up payment.

Appointees 

If you have an appointee who is responsible for making and maintaining your benefit claims, your Migration Notice letter will be sent directly to them. They will need to make the Universal Credit claim for you.

What you’ll need to apply 

To apply online you’ll need:

• your bank, building society or credit union account details

• an email address

• access to a phone

To prove your identity, you’ll need some documents such as your:

• driving licence

• passport

• debit or credit card

• payslip or P60

To complete your claim you’ll need to provide information about:

• your housing, for example how much rent you pay

• your earnings, for example payslips

• any disability or health condition that affects your work

• how much you pay for childcare if you want help with childcare costs

• your savings and any investments, like shares or a property that you rent out

You might need an appointment with the Universal Credit team if:

• they need more information

• you cannot verify your identity online

You’ll be told if this appointment will be in a jobcentre or on the phone.

Apply for Universal Credit online

Steps to getting Universal Credit

1. One of you sets up an Online Universal Credit account. Make a note of your ‘partner code’. You’ll need to give this to your partner.

2. The other partner will need to set up their online account and use that partner code to link the accounts together. This ensures you’re correctly claiming as a couple.

3. Once you’ve both created your accounts, you can complete and submit your online claims.

4. Prove your identities.

5. Provide documents and evidence to support your claim.

6. Agree the activities in each of your claimant commitments.

When you prove your identity we will know you have received a Migration Notice letter and your information will be linked up automatically.

If you need help to make your claim you can get free support from the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service:

• Get Help to Claim if you live in England or Wales
• Get Help to Claim if you live in Scotland

How you’re paid

Universal Credit is paid once a month, usually into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If you’re not able to open a bank, building society or credit union account, call the Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline for advice about how to arrange a different way of getting paid.

Your payment can include an amount for housing costs, which you’ll usually need to pay to your landlord. If your landlord was being paid your housing costs directly, you’ll need to discuss the change of payment arrangements with them.

Final payments for existing benefits

The date of your final payments from your existing benefits depends on whichever is first:

• the deadline date on your letter

• when you make a claim to Universal Credit

If any further payments are due, they will be made shortly after your entitlement ends.

Moving from tax credits

If you claim tax credits, your entitlement will end as soon as you make a claim to Universal Credit.

If you do not make a claim by your deadline date, your tax credit entitlement will end on the day before the deadline.

Moving from other benefits

If you’ve applied for Universal Credit, you’ll keep getting your current benefit paid for 2 more weeks. You must still be eligible for your current benefit. You will not need to pay back these extra payments and they will not affect the Universal Credit you might get.

This only applies if you’re getting:

• Housing Benefit

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Income Support

If you do not make a claim to Universal Credit by the deadline, your last day of entitlement to your existing benefits will be 2 weeks after the deadline.

If you receive both tax credits and any of these benefits, your tax credits will end as soon as you make a claim, or the day before your deadline date (whichever is first). Your other benefits will continue for 2 weeks.

Help while waiting for your first payment

Your claim starts on the day you submit it in your account, however it usually takes around 5 weeks to get your first payment.

If you need help with your living costs while you wait for your first payment, you can apply for an advance within your Universal Credit online account.

You’ll need to pay back your advance in instalments from your future Universal Credit payments.

Find out more about how you’re paid including payment dates, if you live with a partner, and alternative payment arrangements.

Your responsibilities

Your responsibilities will depend on your circumstances.

When you have made your claim to Universal Credit you’ll need to manage your own finances and maintain your claim online. This includes:

• updating your account

• attending jobcentre appointments, if appropriate

• managing your own rent and other housing costs, unless you have another payment arrangement in place

• reporting changes in circumstances

• if you’re self-employed, you’ll need to report your earnings every month

To get Universal Credit payments, you’ll need to accept an agreement called a ‘claimant commitment’. Find out more about claimant commitments.

Changes in circumstances you must tell us about

You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount each month.

Changes can include:  

• changing your bank details
• changes to work and money, such as earnings, pension income, jobs, rent and savings
• change to your health
• household changes, including children, care, partner and immigration status

Find out more about changes in circumstances you must tell us about.

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you deliberately give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

Claiming Pension Credit instead of Universal Credit

You could choose to claim Pension Credit instead of Universal Credit if you’ve been getting Housing Benefit as a mixed age couple continuously since 14 May 2019.

If you claim Pension Credit instead, you will not get Pension Credit or Universal Credit transitional protection. This could mean you receive less financial support. 

If you then decide to withdraw your claim for Pension Credit and apply for Universal Credit by your deadline date, you’ll still get Universal Credit transitional protection if you’re eligible.

Find out more about Pension Credit. 

Support

Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline  

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm  

Phone: 0800 169 0328   

0800 phone numbers are free to call from mobiles and landlines.

If you cannot speak or hear on the phone

Use our Relay UK service to make a free, text-supported call to the Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline. Dial 18001 followed by 0800 169 0328. 

If you use British Sign Language (BSL)

Use our video relay service to make a BSL interpreted call to the Migration Notice Helpline.

If you’re on a computer, visit the video relay service.

1. select Company to contact: ‘DWP (DA Languages)’
2. select Department: ‘Universal Credit - if you have a Migration Notice letter’.

If you’re on a mobile or tablet, use the InterpretersLive! app.

From the app:

1. select ‘Directory’, search for ‘Universal Credit’
2. select ‘Universal Credit - I have a Migration Notice letter’
3. select ‘Call Now’, select Company to contact: ‘DWP (DA Languages)’
4. select Department: ‘Universal Credit - if you have a Migration Notice letter’
5. select ‘Connect Now’.

If you need help, view a YouTube video.

Other financial help and support 

If you get Universal Credit, you could be eligible for other benefits or financial support. You should check what you can get. 

You might be able to get different support in Scotland.

If you’re in financial difficulties, you can get help and advice from the government, local councils, and other organisations, such as advicelocal.uk.

Published 29 August 2024
Last updated 21 October 2024 + show all updates

1. 21 October 2024

   If you live in supported or temporary accommodation, your Housing Benefit will continue to be paid by your local council, even if you decide not to claim Universal Credit. Added link to new Migration Notice Helpline video relay service. Added information about appointees in the 'How to claim Universal Credit' section. Added 'If you live in Wales, you can also claim in Welsh'.

2. 8 October 2024

   Added link to new guidance on how money, savings and investments affect Universal Credit.

3. 27 September 2024

   Added guidance on how to claim and what transitional protection you're eligible for, if you're in a couple who live apart and you both get Migration Notice letters.

4. 6 September 2024

   Content added to confirm you do not need to provide fit notes if you're moving from ESA without a break and meet the listed criteria. Content added to confirm that if you're state pension age and get a disability benefit, you will not need to provide a fit note or have a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) when you move to Universal Credit.

5. 29 August 2024

   First published.