Managed Migration to Universal Credit Calculator

Compare your current legacy benefits (tax credits, ESA, Housing Benefit) with Universal Credit entitlement. Calculate your transitional protection amount if you'll be worse off moving to UC.

Monthly Working Tax Credit (£)

Monthly Child Tax Credit (£)

Monthly Housing Benefit (£)

Monthly income-related ESA or JSA (£)

Monthly Income Support (£)

UC Standard Allowance (from claimant type)

UC Child Element (£/month) — £315.00 per child

UC Housing Cost Element (£/month) — your LHA/housing costs

UC Disability/LCWRA element (£/month)

Monthly earnings (£) — reduces UC via taper

Work allowance applies?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is managed migration to Universal Credit?

Managed migration is the government process of moving people from legacy benefits (Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA/JSA, and Income Support) to Universal Credit (UC). DWP sends a 'migration notice' giving claimants 3 months to claim UC.

What happens if I'm worse off on UC?

If your UC entitlement is less than your legacy benefits at the point of migration, you receive 'transitional protection' — an additional amount on top of UC to maintain your income. This protection gradually erodes as your UC elements increase (but is NOT uprated with inflation each year).

Do I need to do anything when I get a migration notice?

Yes — you must claim UC within 3 months of your migration notice deadline. If you miss the deadline, your legacy benefits will stop and you'll receive no transitional protection. Contact DWP immediately if you cannot claim within the deadline.

When will my case be migrated?

DWP is rolling out managed migration in waves by benefit type and location. Working Tax Credit claimants were migrated first. Tax Credit claimants were being processed through 2024-2026. Housing Benefit claimants are being migrated last. Check your local DWP office for timelines.

Will my Housing Benefit continue separately?

For those over pension age, Housing Benefit will continue separately from UC (pension-age claimants claim Pension Credit, not UC). For working-age people, Housing Benefit is replaced by the housing cost element within UC, which is paid monthly in arrears.

What is the UC taper rate?

UC is reduced by 55p for every £1 you earn above the work allowance (if you have children or a disability element). Without a work allowance, UC reduces from the first pound of earnings. The 55% taper replaced the previous 63% taper in 2021.

What benefits are NOT included in UC migration?

The following are not part of UC and remain separate: Carer's Allowance, Child Benefit, Disability Living Allowance/PIP, Attendance Allowance, New-Style ESA, New-Style JSA, Council Tax Reduction (administered by councils). UC replaces only the income-related legacy benefits listed above.

What if my circumstances change during migration?

If your circumstances change (e.g., you start work, a child is born, you move house) during the migration process, you should still claim UC when you receive the migration notice. Your UC will be calculated based on your new circumstances, with transitional protection reflecting the legacy benefit entitlement on the day before you claimed UC.