More benefits claimants to move to Universal Credit
People who receive certain benefits and tax credits from income support are starting to be moved to Universal Credit (UC).
UC is a single benefit payment for working-age people, which is replacing a range of different benefits in an attempt to make the system simpler.
The Department for Communities (DfC) has issued letters asking people receiving income support to make a UC claim.
They will have three months from the date of the letter to make the claim or lose out.
Universal Credit has been in place in Northern Ireland for new claimants since September 2017.
In October 2023 it was rolled out further, replacing six types of benefits.
The next phase will apply to people who receive other so-called legacy benefits.
The scheduled dates for the switch from the remaining legacy benefits are:
Income Support - February
Housing Benefit (rental) - March
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance - April
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance - May
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons encouraged those who received a letter to take action and said his department was "available to provide help through a dedicated telephony team and face-to-face support at local Jobs and Benefits offices".
People do not need to take any action unless they have received a migration notice letter from the department.
About 71,000 households set for Universal Credit move
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
'I don't know what I'm going to do if they take my car away, it's my lifeline'
"For a long time now, people with any sort of vulnerability have been either underfunded, ignored or stigmatised as being 'scroungers'." These are the words of Ralph James, 71, who was discussing the government's proposed reforms to the welfare system. Mr James is referring to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill (UCPIPB), which would result in cuts to sickness and disability benefits, causing huge concern for those currently receiving those benefits. According to the latest figures from the DWP, the number of people in receipt of PIP has soared since 2019, with one in 10 working-age people in England and Wales now receiving the benefit. READ MORE: Contactless card warning issued over scam that's difficult to spot READ MORE: Liverpool area with country's highest number of people claiming PIP Three areas of Merseyside have some of the highest percentages of the working-age population who receive personal independence payments (PIP). Most notable is Walton, which has the highest proportion (23%) of any parliamentary constituency in the country – closely followed by Bootle (20%) and Knowsley (21%). Ahead of a scheduled second reading of the UCPIPB in Parliament next week, the Liverpool ECHO visited Bootle to speak to local residents about the potential impact of the legislation. Mr James lives on Gardner Avenue in Bootle and he is a recipient of the higher rate PIP benefit, he said: "In spite of my disabilities and going through the pain barrier, I try to do my best in terms of getting out and about. "I rely on my car to get about, and I have to be on the high rate of the mobility component of PIP to qualify for the use of that car. It's my lifeline, and if that's taken from me, I don't know what I'm going to do or how I'll carry on living independently. "Those claiming PIP are vulnerable people who are victims of circumstance, relating to ill health and disabilities. A lot of that circumstance is brought about by the sort of governments we had, but for a long time now, people with any sort of vulnerability have been either underfunded, ignored or stigmatised as being 'scroungers'. "I've suffered from lifelong depression, and I live alone. My house, as you can see, is in a poor state of repair, but I still don't know whether I will be reassessed and I don't think anyone else does - that's the real fear." Concerns about reassessment pop up numerous times. Steph, 33, from Bootle, does not claim PIP, but both her mum and dad are currently recipients of the benefit. She is worried about the potential changes to eligibility criteria. Steph's parents both suffer from fibromyalgia, and she is apprehensive about the possibility of them being reassessed: "My mum already experienced a problem where she's even had to go to court to get her entitlement. She won her case, but it left its mark. "She got into a very depressed state, and we were all very concerned for her. It was a very tough time." Steph said her dad started working when he was 12 years old and worked hard all his life. An injury and subsequent health diagnosis forced him into early retirement, but she said it was difficult getting him the right support. She added: "The assessments are so gruelling [for PIP]. I've been to one with my dad which literally reduced him to tears as he admitted he couldn't even wash himself because of the pain he was in. He is such a proud man, but he just broke down crying. "People need to understand the fact that people on PIP are just scraping by, so for the government to cut some of that benefit for the poorest and most vulnerable, it just shows they don't understand – it's them living in their ivory towers. "If you're going to make cuts, then where's the support after you've cut that payment? What are people going to do? Because the prices of stuff are going up, but the money is going down. How are people supposed to live?" Under the proposals in the UCPIPB, eligibility for the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability payment in England, would be limited, and the sickness-related element of Universal Credit (UC) would be restricted. Ministers have previously said the reforms could save up to £5bn a year, while the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) projects – by the end of this Parliament – approximately 90% of people currently claiming PIP will continue to receive it following the eligibility changes. Kenny Ferguson, 49, lives on Hawthorne Road, Bootle, and suffers from depression. Mr Ferguson said he has been unable to work since December last year and was advised by his GP to apply for PIP. He said: "I was told my application had been refused for not reaching the 12 points needed. "I intend to appeal against this decision, based on my prescribed and approved medication given to me by an expert. "I do hope my local MP will show support for people like myself who are not well and tell this Government how wrong it is to be picking on vulnerable people." Last week, Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, published the government's details of the welfare reform bill, claiming it represented 'a new social contract' that it will bring claimants 'peace of mind'. Since then, there has been a significant fall-out within the ranks of the parliamentary Labour party. On Tuesday, June 24, the Liverpool ECHO reported on a growing rebellion against the government's plans to cut sickness and disability benefits. At the time of writing, 108 MPs' signatures appear on a reasoned amendment declining to give the welfare reform bill a second reading when it returns to the Commons on July 1 - including six Merseyside Labour MPs. A DWP spokesperson told the ECHO: 'The vast majority of people who are currently getting PIP will continue to receive it. "We're creating a sustainable welfare system that genuinely supports sick or disabled people while always protecting those who need it most. 'At the heart of this is our review of the PIP assessment to ensure it is fit for the future. We will work with disabled people and a range of experts on this as we deliver our Plan for Change.'
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
VIG Is a Popular Dividend ETF for Passive Income. But Is It the Best?
With a 1.8% yield, the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF isn't the highest-paying dividend ETF. Instead of focusing on stocks with high yields, it focuses on those with extended track records of dividend increases. It could be a great ETF for investors who are more concerned with building their future income streams. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF › The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEMKT: VIG), also commonly referred to simply by its ticker symbol, VIG, is an index fund that holds a portfolio of more than 330 dividend-paying stocks. But with dozens of excellent exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on dividend stocks to choose from, is this one the right fit for you? Let's take a closer look at the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF and which types of investors it could be the best dividend stock ETF for. The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers index, which includes only stocks with established track records of raising their dividends every year. Unlike some of the other dividend-focused ETFs offered by Vanguard, stocks don't necessarily need to have above-average dividend yields to be included -- just a dividend growth streak of at least 10 straight years. In part for this reason, the ETF has a 1.8% yield. That's more than you'd get from an S&P 500 index fund, but it isn't close to what most "high dividend" ETFs offer. However, it's important to realize that this ETF isn't about creating a large stream of income immediately. In fact, the index that it tracks excludes the highest-yielding 25% of stocks that would otherwise meet its criteria. Though that might seem counterintuitive, there's a logical reason why: Often, a particularly high dividend yield is the result of a plunging stock price. Given that many noteworthy stock declines are triggered by bad news for the underlying business, and that such troubles can make it harder for a company to pay and raise dividends, foregoing the highest-yielding options in the near term can be a smart strategy for achieving reliable payout growth over the long term. The idea is that this fund holds stocks that will be paying significantly more in dividends 10 years from now, 20 years from now, and so on. Like most Vanguard ETFs, the Dividend Appreciation ETF is a low-cost investment vehicle. It has a rock-bottom 0.05% expense ratio, which means that for every $10,000 in invested assets, your annual fee expense will be just $5. (To be clear, this isn't a fee you have to pay -- it will simply be reflected in the fund's performance over time.) As of the latest update, the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF owned 337 stocks, and it's a weighted index, so some stocks make up significantly more of the portfolio than others. Top holdings include Broadcom, Microsoft, Apple, Eli Lilly, and JPMorgan Chase. One of the most interesting features of this ETF is that because it doesn't require above-average dividend yields, it includes a lot of high-growth companies that many dividend ETFs exclude. For example, Broadcom -- the largest holding in the fund -- has a dividend yield of just 1% at its current share price. However, that tech company has grown its payouts at a double-digit percentage pace and has increased them for 14 consecutive years. Because it has more growth stock exposure than most dividend ETFs, the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF has the potential to deliver stronger total returns. There's no such thing as an ideal dividend ETF for everyone -- that's why there are dozens of them to choose from. The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF could be an especially great choice for investors who want dividend income in their portfolios but are more concerned with how much they'll be getting paid in the future than the current yields of their stocks. In a nutshell, if you're 70 years old and relying on your portfolio for income today, or if you're preparing to retire within the next few years, the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF might not be a great fit for you. On the other hand, if you're still a decade or more away from retirement, it could be an excellent ETF to help you build an income stream for the future without sacrificing growth potential. Before you buy stock in Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $713,547!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $966,931!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,062% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 177% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Matt Frankel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. VIG Is a Popular Dividend ETF for Passive Income. But Is It the Best? was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Residents of these NJ counties have the least credit card debt, study says
Somerset County, one of the richest counties in New Jersey and the country, isn't riding on credit cards to make its deluxe purchases. A recent SmartAsset study found that Somerset County ranks among the New Jersey counties with the lowest credit card debt when compared to annual income. The analysis looked at credit card debt per capita relative to both income and net worth, which calculated a debt-adjusted score to highlight where residents are managing credit cards most effectively. Somerset County residents' average credit card debt is 8.25% of their income, which is the second-lowest rate in New Jersey. They have a $70,321 average income and $5,798.49 average credit card debt. College Connection: The best ways to save money on college Hudson County residents have the lowest credit card debt rate in New Jersey at 7.87%. Here are the full rankings: Rank County Income Credit Card Debt Credit Card Debt % of Income Net Worth to Debt Adjusted Score Overall Index 1 Hudson County $53,998.00 $4,249.98 7.87% 0.00 29.99 2 Somerset County $70,321.00 $5,798.49 8.25% 0.00 29.47 3 Cape May County $54,325.00 $4,665.80 8.59% 0.00 29.00 4 Morris County $69,226.00 $5,968.60 8.62% 0.00 28.95 5 Mercer County $52,101.00 $4,632.04 8.89% 0.00 28.58 6 Hunterdon County $71,070.00 $6,373.62 8.97% 0.00 28.47 7 Essex County $48,021.00 $4,347.18 9.05% 0.00 28.36 8 Union County $51,850.00 $4,695.50 9.06% 0.00 28.35 9 Monmouth County $65,545.00 $5,957.80 9.09% 0.00 28.31 10 Cumberland County $33,587.00 $3,071.38 9.14% 0.00 28.23 NJ $52,254.90 $4,901.03 9.47% 0.00 17.88 Staff Reporter Jenna Intersimone: JIntersimone@ This article originally appeared on NJ counties with the least credit card debt
