Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the decision of the Court of Appeal of 22 June 2020 in the case of Johnson, Woods, Barrett and Stewart v the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing universal credit applicants to choose the day in the month that their assessment period starts from.
The monthly Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of its design, mirroring how the majority of working people are paid. Assessment periods for Universal Credit start from the date of entitlement (date of claim) and each subsequent assessment period will begin on the same date of the month.
All claimants decide when to claim, and therefore can choose when to fix their assessment period commencement date.