Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his department provides to staff on resolving discrepancies in Universal Credit earnings calculations resulting from changes to a claimant's regular pay date, in light of the judgement in Johnson and others v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Departmental guidance explains that where a calendar-monthly paid employee receives more than one payment from the same employer in a single assessment period, one of those payments may be treated as earnings in a different assessment period in order to maintain a regular payment pattern. Guidance also covers circumstances where earnings have been reported late or in the wrong assessment period.

This approach helps ensure that Universal Credit awards more accurately reflect a claimant's normal pattern of earnings while remaining consistent with the regulations governing the benefit.