Title page
Contents
Summary 5
1. The introduction of Universal Credit 9
1.1. How people move onto Universal Credit 10
1.2. Changes to the Universal Credit rollout timetable 11
Initial plans and the Full Service 11
Rollout plans pushed back to 2023 12
Delays due to Covid-19 pandemic 13
After the pandemic 13
1.3. Latest caseload rollout statistics 14
1.4. Further reading 15
2. Evolution of managed migration plans 16
2.1. 2018 SSAC consultation 17
Original draft regulations and SSAC recommendations 17
Changes in the revised regulations 18
Recommendations not incorporated in the revised regulations 19
2.2. The managed migration pilot 21
2.3. Remaining issues and concerns 23
Calls for more safeguards against destitution 23
Claimant responsibility for "compulsory self-managed migration" 23
Supporting claimants with poor mental health 24
3. The 'Move to Universal Credit' strategy 26
3.1. Completing the Move to Universal Credit 26
Natural migration 26
Voluntary migration 27
Managed migration 27
Legislation and scrutiny 32
3.2. Transitional protection 34
How does the DWP work out a claimant's transitional element? 35
Transitional protection for full-time students 36
Transitional capital disregard 36
3.3. The managed migration 'discovery phase' 37
Findings from the discovery phase 37
DWP's lessons from the discovery phase 38
Feedback from advisers 39
3.4. Managed migration expansion in 2023/24 40
Managed migration timetable 40
Move to UC statistics 45
3.5. Emerging evidence on the Move to Universal Credit 47
DWP research, August 2023 47
National Audit Office report, February 2024 49
DWP report on tax credit migrations and work with other benefit cohorts, February 2024 50
Child Poverty Action Group research, August 2023 52
CPAG research, November 2023 54
CPAG research, February 2024 55