Advising low income families in Scotland eBulletin - June 2024
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Summer school holiday payments
- Managed migration to universal credit
- Enhanced support journey
- Pension age tax credit claimants
Summer school holiday payments
Summer school holiday payments are available from local authorities in Scotland for families with children eligible for free school meals due to low income. It is necessary to have applied for free school meals and to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit (the income threshold increased in April):
- Universal credit (with monthly earnings no more than £796)
- Child tax credit, but not working tax credit, (annual income up to £19,995)
- both child tax credit and working tax credit (annual income up to £9,552)
- Income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or income-related employment and support allowance
- Asylum support
Payments are around £80 per child and usually made automatically. See help during the school holidays or contact local council for more information.
The Scottish Government has also announced a fund for local authorities to use to help clear school meal debts..
Managed migration to universal credit in 2024
The government has updated its timetable for migration of legacy benefit claimants to universal credit (UC) as follows:
- By end March, all tax credits only claimants should have been notified – contact Migration Notice helpline: 0800 169 0328 if not received migration notice
- April/May, tax credits with housing benefit and income support claimants.
- From July, employment and support allowance (ESA) with child tax credit
- From July, child tax credit claimants over state pension age move to pension credit
- From August, working tax credit claimants over pension age move to UC
- From September, jobseeker’s allowance with or without child tax credit
- From September, ESA only and ESA with HB – to be completed by Dec 2025
Latest statistics have shown that 22% of claimants who received a migration notice have not claimed UC. Excluding those still in progress, this rises to 32%.
All claimants should receive a reminder letter 7 weeks after the migration notice, and a further reminder by text after 10 weeks. The DWP has revealed details of how it will provide extra support for claimants who may be at greater risk of harm due to managed migration:
- Additional contact will be made for all households who are in receipt of ESA
- For lone parents and carers receiving income support, the DWP will check for additional support needs
- Around week 11 or 12, claimants will receive a text message alerting them that the DWP will be contacting them by phone on a given number
- Three attempts on different days will be made to contact the household to offer support
- Where no contact is made, DWP will refer households for a home visit. Should the visit be unsuccessful, further escalations will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- The deadline may be extended on the DWP’s own initiative
See Rightsnet for more details.
Pension age tax credit claimants
New regulations in force from 8 June provide for the migration of pension age tax credit claimants to UC or pension credit (PC), as follows.
- CTC/WTC claimants already on PC: stay on PC
Tax credit claimants already getting PC will be sent a “closure notice”, notifying them that their tax credits will end on a specified date, which may be less than three months. Their PC will increase to reflect the loss of WTC as income, and the addition of child elements to replace CTC, with transitional protection.
- Pension age CTC only claimants: move to PC
Claimants who are in receipt of CTC only and are not eligible for WTC (because they are not working at least 16 hours a week) will be sent a “closure notice”, notifying them that their CTC will end by a specified date and inviting them to claim PC, with transitional protection.
- Pension age WTC claimants (including WTC/CTC): move to UC
Claimants who are entitled to WTC (including those who are also entitled to CTC, whose WTC has been reduced to nil due to income) will be sent a migration notice, notifying them that their tax credits will end by a specified date and inviting them to claim UC, with transitional protection available.
- Mixed age couples: move to UC
Most mixed-age couples who are currently in receipt of CTC or WTC or both, will be sent a migration notice, notifying them that their legacy benefits are ending by a specified date, and inviting them to claim UC, with transitional protection available.
- ‘Protected’ mixed age couples: move to UC or stay on HB/PC
Mixed age couples who have been getting pension age HB and/or PC continuously since before 15 May 2019 are referred to as ‘protected’ mixed age couples and will be notified as above but with the option to stay on or reclaim HB/PC.
View the regulations in full:
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