The government will shut down several benefits by the end of March as it aims to move all eligible claimants to a single benefit.

The rollout will be completed by the end of the month, meaning most remaining “legacy” benefits will no longer exist, and they will no longer be payable or open to new claims.

The plan, known as managed migration, aims to simplify the benefits system by moving as many people as possible onto one benefit: universal credit.

However, some benefits will continue even after the process is completed.

Here’s what you need to know about how the benefits system will change after March, and how it could affect you.

What are legacy benefits, and why are they being stopped?

The term “legacy” benefits refers to the older means‑tested benefits and tax credits that are being replaced by universal credit (UC).

Universal credit was introduced in 2017 by the government in an aim to simplify the benefits system, make claims and changes easier to manage online, and remove situations where people had to claim several different benefits at once.

While the journey to migrate people on legacy benefits to universal has taken twice the amount of time expected, the managed migration is soon to be over, after which all of these benefits will be closed to new claims and then ended.

What benefits will be closing?

The benefits being closed are the main income‑related legacy benefits that universal credit is replacing.

These are:

• Income‑based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)

• Income‑related employment and support allowance (ESA)

Housing benefit for most working-age people is largely included, but some exceptions will be made for those in supported or temporary accommodation, as well as those who have reached state pension age.

How can I identify these payments under universal credit?

In a new, universal credit claim, the old “legacy” benefits don’t appear as separate benefits any more – their support is built into different UC elements.

Each universal credit award is made up of:

• Standard allowance (basic adult amount for single people or couples).

• Housing costs element – this is where support that used to come from housing benefit normally sits.

• Child element – replaces the support that used to come via child tax credit.

• Carer element – support that overlaps with what some carers previously got through income‑related benefits.

• Transitional protection element – in managed migration cases, this can top up your UC so you do not lose out immediately if your UC would otherwise be lower than your legacy benefits.

What benefits are still in operation after March 2026?

While most income‑related legacy benefits will stop at the end of March, many other non-working-age benefits will continue. The main ones still in operation include:

• Disability and health‑related benefits such as personal independence payment (PIP), attendance allowance, disability living allowance for some claimants, and industrial injuries disablement benefit

• Maternity allowance, statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and sick pay

• Bereavement support payment and related bereavement benefits

• Seasonal benefits like winter fuel payment, cold weather payment and warm home discounts

Contribution‑based, new‑style jobseeker’s allowance and new‑style employment and support allowance will also continue, but they will be based on national insurance contributions, instead of means-tested like the legacy versions of the benefit.