Universal Credit (UC) transitional protection - Can I get Universal Credit (UC) transitional protection?

Transitional protection is only available to:

• People who are moved over to Universal Credit through the managed migration project.
• People covered by the Severe Disability Premium rules.

You will be able to get Severe Disability Premium transitional protection if:

• You didn't start claiming Universal Credit because you moved in with someone who was already getting Universal Credit; and
  • Within a month of the time you claimed Universal Credit, you were entitled to a Severe Disability Premium on Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), or
  • Within a month of the time you claimed Universal Credit, you were in a couple and your partner was getting a Severe Disability Premium on Income Support, income-related ESA or income-based JSA.

You won't be able to get Severe Disability Premium transitional protection if you didn't satisfy the conditions for getting Severe Disability Premium on the first day of your Universal Credit claim.

For example, if someone starts claiming Carer's Allowance for you before you make your Universal Credit claim, you would no longer meet the conditions for getting Severe Disability Premium. So you wouldn't be able to get Severe Disability Premium transitional protection.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can identify people who were getting Severe Disability Premium on their own Income Support, income-related ESA or income-based JSA claim. The DWP cannot identify people who were part of a couple and their partner was getting Severe Disability Premium on the partner's Income Support, income-related ESA or income-based JSA claim. If this applies to you, it is important you check your Universal Credit claim and get advice.