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<p>Claimants currently only move from existing benefits to Universal Credit when they
experience a significant change in their circumstances that triggers a new claim to
a benefit that Universal Credit replaces. Their entitlement is then calculated on
the rules of their new benefit and their new circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>For those
claimants who are moved onto Universal Credit without a change in their circumstances,
the Department has committed to providing transitional protection to ensure that they
see no decrease in their benefit entitlement at the point of transition.</p><p> </p><p>There
are £2.4 billion of unclaimed legacy benefits not going to the people who need them,
because they do not know that they are entitled to them or how to claim. Universal
Credit makes sure that welfare payments reach those who need them most.</p><p> </p><p>We
have also introduced a number of measures to assist claimants during their transition
to Universal Credit. Claimants moving onto Universal Credit can access a Universal
Credit advance, which is worth up to 100 per cent of their indicative award and is
available from the date of their claim. This advance is currently repayable over 12
months, but as announced in the 2018 Budget, from October 2021 the maximum repayment
period will be extended to 16 months. Claimants may also be entitled to a two-week
Universal Credit Transitional Housing Payment. From July 2020 the Government is introducing
a new two-week run on for income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income
Support and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support and income-based Jobseeker’s
Allowance.</p>
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