Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she will take to support workers on zero-hour contracts who are not working as a result of the covid-19 outbreak and are unable to qualify for universal credit because they are considered to have employment.

It is wrong to say that workers on zero-hour contracts, who are not working as a result of the covid-19 outbreak, are unable to qualify for Universal Credit because they are considered to have employment.

Universal Credit is payable in and out of work including for those working zero-hour contracts, part-time or temporary jobs.

The amount of Universal Credit paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and also allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month. This means that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.

The Chancellor has also confirmed that, depending on their status, workers on zero hour contracts may be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and we would urge people to explore this avenue too.