How the transitional element is calculated when you move to Universal Credit

If you’ve received a Migration Notice letter and have been told to move to Universal Credit, you should read transitional protection if you received a Migration Notice letter first.

An element is an additional payment on top of your standard allowance of Universal Credit. Additional payments are to cover the cost of things like caring for someone, having children, or moving from one benefit to another.

The transitional element is an additional payment that’s part of transitional protection. Transitional protection is available to you if you receive a Migration Notice letter and move to Universal Credit by your deadline date.

How we calculate the transitional element

Your Universal Credit entitlement is assessed every month, based on your current circumstances. This is known as an assessment period.

When a claim is made and verified, the transitional element is calculated using a Universal Credit amount that’s based on your known circumstances from the day before your claim. This amount is referred to as the ‘indicative Universal Credit award’.

At this point, the transitional element is the difference between the indicative Universal Credit award and your previous legacy benefit amount. It aims to protect your benefit entitlement at the point of moving to Universal Credit. 

The indicative Universal Credit award, including the transitional element, is an estimation based on your circumstances the day before you make your Universal Credit claim.

Universal Credit claims are affected by the benefit cap. The cap is also used in the calculation of the transitional element and applied to the indicative Universal Credit award. Some people, such as those of State Pension age, will not have their Universal Credit entitlement capped.

Information we use to calculate the transitional element

The transitional element is calculated using information you give us in your Universal Credit claim and your existing legacy benefits information.