Transitional protection 


Transitional protection is an extra amount to top up the UC award to ensure that people are not worse off when they move over to the new benefit. However, this is only available for people who have no change in their circumstances that would trigger a move to UC and are therefore moved on to UC by way of a “managed migration” (see page 11).


The Entitledto website (https://www.entitledto.co.uk) explains that the top-up payment is frozen, so even those people who receive transitional protection will gradually be worse off over time as the payment is eroded by inflation. It also explains that transitional protection will end if a partner leaves or joins the household, there is a sustained (three-month) earnings drop beneath the level of work expected according to the claimant commitment (see page 23), the UC award ends, or the claimant or their partner stops work. Once it has ended, it will not be applied to any future awards.


Usdaw advises its members to make sure they are claiming all the benefits they are entitled to so that their rate of pay will be protected if it would be lower under UC. In addition, it says: “Make sure your current claim is up-to-date: make sure the Tax Credit or benefits office has all your up-to-date details so that you do not have to unnecessarily register a change of circumstances after you are transferred to Universal Credit, as this could reduce your claim to a lower rate.”