Government suspends £10 million Universal Credit Transition Fund application process due to coronavirus pandemic

Funding was due to be available from April 2020 for public and voluntary organisations to help vulnerable people claim universal credit

The government has suspended the £10 million Universal Credit Transition Fund application process due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Designed to support local public and voluntary organisation across the UK to help vulnerable people - including disabled people, care leavers and those with mental health issues - claim universal credit, the Transition Fund was due to commence funding successful applicants from April 2020.

Announcing that the application process has been temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 crisis, the DWP advises applicants that further information will be provided 'where possible'.

The DWP's suspension notice has been added to Jobcentre Plus: opportunities for public and voluntary organisations from gov.uk

Stop press: in the April 2020 edition of its Touchbase newsletter, the DWP says -

Our priority at this time is to ensure people get their benefit payments and to protect vulnerable people who need our support most. We also recognise that organisations may not be in a position in the current circumstances to proceed with an application or mobilise a new project.

If you have already submitted your application we will hold this on record, provided you are content for us to do so, in the event we are able to progress with the process later in the year.

Source: Touchbase (3 April 2020)