Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Universal Credit: Monthly Assessment Period

Monday 8 March 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial legislation was introduced on 16 November to reallocate monthly earnings to another assessment period.
  • Guidance has been produced to help ensure that claimants do not have two payments in the same monthly assessment period.
  • The Minister offered to meet Matt Western to discuss an individual case affected by departmental errors.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Matt Western Lab Warwick and Leamington
Benefits & Welfare
Context

Claimants receiving universal credit face issues with delayed wage payments due to bank holidays or weekends, affecting their monthly assessment periods. This can lead to reduced support for those affected.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to ensure universal credit payments are not reduced in the event of a claimant receiving two payments in the same monthly assessment period as a result of a wage payment being delayed by a bank holiday or weekend?

Answer from Will Quince

We introduced legislation on 16 November so that monthly earnings can be reallocated to another assessment period, meaning that claimants affected by this issue will therefore have one salary payment taken into account in each assessment period. We have also produced guidance to help ensure that claimants, staff and representatives are aware of different earning patterns and the impact on universal credit payment cycles.

Answered
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Q2 Matt Western Lab Warwick and Leamington
Benefits & Welfare
Context

Individuals like Mr B in the constituency have faced difficulties due to errors in processing universal credit claims. This has caused prolonged hardship, including utility disconnections and additional costs.

Question

People such as Mr B in my constituency and across the country have been forced to survive with little to no support, all because of an error through the Minister's Department. Worse still, the pain has been prolonged by pursuing this through the courts. Will the Minister do the right thing and properly recompense those affected, such as Mr B, who suffered as a result of utilities being cut off and consequent costs as a result? And will the Minister meet me to discuss that specific case?

Answer from Will Quince

Of course, I will be very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss that individual case, and I am very sorry to hear of those circumstances. However, the Court of Appeal judgment was very specific and was limited to double earnings for those paid calendar-monthly caused by a non-banking day salary shift. We have chosen to go further and include all the monthly-paid who are affected by double earnings, but the judgment did not require the Department to apply the new arrangements retrospectively.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to compensate individuals for suffering caused by government errors

How: Court Of Appeal Judgment Limitations

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