Change of bank account trigger move from WTC to UC?

firefoot

I’m still on Working Tax Credits. I know that a change in circumstances will trigger a move to Universal Credit. Does anyone know if changing the bank account my Tax Credits are paid into will trigger that move?

I don’t want to trigger a move any sooner than I need to, as, at the moment, I’m not making the UC Minimum Income Floor. I do have to change bank account at some time in the next few months as my current bank is closing all current accounts, but I’m wondering whether to do it now and take advantage of one of the cashback offers to entice people to switch, or to leave it for as long as possible.

I’d be very grateful for any help.

poppy12345

No, it will not.

firefoot

poppy12345 said:

No, it will not.

Thank you very much!

Newcad

Be aware though that the migration of those with Tax Credits only to UC is accelerating nationwide, so it's likely you will be getting a migration letter sometime soon anyway.

If you have an Income Related benefit* then you are in the "to be migrated in 2024/5" category.
Income Based JSA, Housing Benefit, and Income Support, all with or without Tax Credits as well, are in that 2024/5 group.
If you have both IR ESA and Tax Credits* then you will also be migrating in 2024/5.

*Managed Migration from IR ESA, without having Tax Credits as well, is currently on-hold until 2028. Natural or Voluntary Migration from IR ESA are still happening.

See my post below.

They want to get Tax Credits migrated to UC ASAP.

So while Managed Migration to UC isn't triggered by a change of circumstances, coincidences are always going to happen that look like it has been.

firefoot

Newcad said:

Be aware though that the migration of those with Tax Credits only to UC is accelerating nationwide, so it's likely you will be getting a migration letter sometime soon anyway.

I'm on Tax Credits only. While this isn't welcome news, it's extremely helpful to know that I'm likely to be moved sooner rather than later - thank you very much. I know I've been fortunate in having been able to stay on Tax Credits this long.

calcotti

Newcad said:

*Managed Migration from IR ESA is currently on-hold until 2028. Natural or Voluntary Migration from IR ESA are still happening.

That only applies to those on income based ESA and not getting Tax Credits. If getting Tax Credits they would also will be in the group to be migrated before the end of 2024.

Newcad

calcotti said:

Newcad said:

*Managed Migration from IR ESA is currently on-hold until 2028. Natural or Voluntary Migration from IR ESA are still happening.

That only applies to those on income based ESA and not getting Tax Credits. If getting Tax Credits they would also will be in the group to be migrated before the end of 2024.

Agreed, I was thinking about that and was going to edit my previous post to clarify it. (Done)

This was recently published by Newcastle Council and gives the latest expected timetable for migrations:
https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/services/welfare-benefits/welfare-rights-and-money-advice/the-move-to-Universal-Credit

Based on the government's Autumn Statement, Completing the move to Universal Credit: Learning from the Discovery Phase, press releases and other announcements, we think the roll out process is as follows:

• From April 2023 to the end of March 2024, those on Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit (and not on any other 'legacy benefit') will be sent letters inviting them to claim UC and their Tax Credits will stop after 3 months. This will be phased in - see details below*
• In 2024/25 DWP plan to manage migrate the remaining tax credit cases (which also receive DWP benefits) and Income Support, Housing Benefit and Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• By the end of 2024/25 DWP will have completed the moves of all legacy cases with tax credits (including those on both ESA and tax credits), all cases on Income Support (IS) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and all Housing Benefit (HB) only cases
• The remaining ESA cases will not be manage migrated till 2028/29

kkkklinky

Due to the migration of tax credit claimants, my neighbour has stopped her tax credits claim in order not to be migrated over (she also gets IRESA). I find it tragic that she is prepared to lose £120+ a week in credits for her very young children out of fear of being moved to UC, which will inevitably happen anyway for everyone claiming legacy benefits. She claims she doesn't want to lose her Severe Disability Premium but she's worst off anyway because the TCs were more money. She's basically just living off her ESA money for one person and CB, it's so sad.

calcotti

kkkklinky said:

Due to the migration of tax credit claimants, my neighbour has stopped her tax credits claim in order not to be migrated over (she also gets IRESA). I find it tragic that she is prepared to lose £120+ a week in credits for her very young children out of fear of being moved to UC, which will inevitably happen anyway for everyone claiming legacy benefits. She claims she doesn't want to lose her Severe Disability Premium but she's worst off anyway because the TCs were more money. She's basically just living off her ESA money for one person and CB, it's so sad.

That is very sad and foolish. They have immediately reduced their income and have also reduced their future UC income because their transitional protection has both been reduced. 

firefoot

kkkklinky said:

Due to the migration of tax credit claimants, my neighbour has stopped her tax credits claim in order not to be migrated over (she also gets IRESA). I find it tragic that she is prepared to lose £120+ a week in credits for her very young children out of fear of being moved to UC, which will inevitably happen anyway for everyone claiming legacy benefits. She claims she doesn't want to lose her Severe Disability Premium but she's worst off anyway because the TCs were more money. She's basically just living off her ESA money for one person and CB, it's so sad.

I'm desperately sorry to hear about your neighbour. That's both heartbreaking and rage-inducing. UC is a benefits scheme designed by people who've never been in need and have no understanding of how some people have to live. As well as her personal tragedy (and her children's), there are going to be so many more people like this.

For me, I know my transitional protection will only last three months because I get paid once every three months (I'm paid via royalties and that's how all my publishers operate). So for two months I'll be under the minimum income floor and one month get too much to qualify for UC. I've decided to switch anyway when forced because that way I might just get lucky and squeak into the second cost of living payment time frame.

What happens after that, I have no idea. I'm not well enough, post-covid, to leave the house to work. I don't like my chances of getting a more-regularly paid remote job that I'm well enough to do, and I *really* don't like my chances of getting any sort of sickness benefit as I can still work, just as long as I can do it at my own pace. But, like your neighbour, I'll be an invisible statistic, and the government will claim what a great success UC has been.

I can't stop thinking about your poor neighbour.

FusionFury

Never seen that before?