Existing Claimants Protected Under Universal Credit

The Department for Work and Pensions has insisted no households currently claiming benefit will lose out under universal credit.  An impact assessment shows around 800,000 more households than previously expected will have lower ‘notional’ benefit entitlements under universal credit.  The assessment shows 2.8 million households will have lower entitlements under the policy, compared to the 2 million quoted in an equality impact assessment in October last year.  However, the DWP said the assessment does not take into account ‘transitional protection’ – money used to top up incomes to prevent current claimants moving to the new system from losing out.  Download a copy of the Impact Assessment from the DWP website.