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Move families onto Universal Credit when a legacy benefit they receive closes #2118
Tax credits closed on 6 April 2025, and Income Support and income-based JSA on 1 April 2026 (gov.dwp.tax_credits.active, gov.dwp.income_support.active, gov.dwp.JSA.income.active). DWP moved each working-age family off its legacy benefits with a migration notice covering all of them. The family's awards ended when it claimed Universal Credit (SI 2014/1230 reg 8), or at the notice's deadline if it did not claim (reg 46).
The model has no such step:
Universal Credit is paid only through would_claim_uc. Datasets draw it once, without regard to legacy receipt, and copy it into every year.
A legacy family whose draw is false loses its tax credits in 2025-26 and gets no Universal Credit.
Its other legacy awards carry on: the Housing Benefit continuing award, Income Support, income-related ESA and income-based JSA.
Add legacy_benefits_closed: a working-age family reports a legacy benefit whose active parameter is false. Families on the pension-age route are excluded (reg 8(2B)).
Add claims_universal_credit = would_claim_uc | (legacy_benefits_closed & the new input), and use it wherever the model reads would_claim_uc as "this family claims Universal Credit".
Once a family's legacy benefits have closed, end its Housing Benefit continuing award, Income Support, income-related ESA and income-based JSA, whether or not it claims.
Years before any closure stay as they are.
Housing Benefit (#1910) and income-related ESA (#1914) join legacy_benefits_closed when the model ends their working-age awards.
Problem
Tax credits closed on 6 April 2025, and Income Support and income-based JSA on 1 April 2026 (
gov.dwp.tax_credits.active,gov.dwp.income_support.active,gov.dwp.JSA.income.active). DWP moved each working-age family off its legacy benefits with a migration notice covering all of them. The family's awards ended when it claimed Universal Credit (SI 2014/1230 reg 8), or at the notice's deadline if it did not claim (reg 46).The model has no such step:
would_claim_uc. Datasets draw it once, without regard to legacy receipt, and copy it into every year.Proposal
would_claim_uc_at_legacy_closure(default true, likewould_claim_uc). Move working-age legacy-benefit reporters onto UC at Move to UC claim rates (stranded after HB, tax credit, IS and JSA closure) policyengine-uk-data#492 draws it at DWP's Move to Universal Credit claim rates.legacy_benefits_closed: a working-age family reports a legacy benefit whoseactiveparameter is false. Families on the pension-age route are excluded (reg 8(2B)).claims_universal_credit=would_claim_uc| (legacy_benefits_closed& the new input), and use it wherever the model readswould_claim_ucas "this family claims Universal Credit".Years before any closure stay as they are.
Housing Benefit (#1910) and income-related ESA (#1914) join
legacy_benefits_closedwhen the model ends their working-age awards.