Legacy Benefits Ending by March 2026

If you currently receive Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, or Income‑Related ESA, your benefits will stop by 31 March 2026 as everyone moves onto Universal Credit.

You won’t be moved automatically. Managed migration means you must submit a Universal Credit claim within three months of receiving your migration letter, or your payments will stop. First payments usually take around five weeks, though some legacy benefits may continue briefly to bridge the gap.

If Universal Credit would be less than your current benefits, transitional protection can top it up automatically—but only if you claim on time. Miss the deadline (after a one-month grace period) and transitional protection will be lost, so it’s important to act quickly.