Universal Credit takes earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by the employer during the assessment period, regardless of when they were paid, or which month they relate to.<\/p>
Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if claimants\u2019 incomes fall, they do not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit award.<\/p>
Claimants can discuss queries about how fluctuating income effects Universal Credit with their case managers and work coaches, who can also signpost to services appropriate to individual circumstances.<\/p>
The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went live to support and inform employers who report earnings to emphasise the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information (RTI) system.<\/p>
HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is also working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-03T14:24:24.683Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of reports that people who are paid on the last day of the month are incorrectly showing on the HMRC database as having been paid on the first working day of the month on the ability of her Department to correctly assess an individual\u2019s entitlement to benefits; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "281024"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141279", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141279/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40 per cent of the Universal Credit standard allowance and does not reduce other components of an award, such as money paid for children, housing or when someone is caring for a severely disabled person. From October 2019 this will be reduced to 30 per cent and from October 2021 we are increasing the maximum recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months.<\/p>
<\/p>
However, the Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt, so last resort deductions can be applied to protect vulnerable claimants from eviction and/or having their fuel supply (gas/electricity) cut off, by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of these essential services. In these cases, when it is considered to be in the best interests of the claimant and their family, deductions may be taken above the 40 per cent limit.<\/p>
<\/p>
If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions being made they can contact the Department to request that a reduction in deductions be considered<\/p>
<\/p>
The table below gives the proportion of claims in the first to sixth assessment periods, for which a deduction was taken relating to arrears in February 2019, the latest month which data is available for.\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> Assessment Period<\/p><\/td> % with arrears deductions<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 1<\/p><\/td> 1.7%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2<\/p><\/td> 3.1%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 3<\/p><\/td> 4.3%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 4<\/p><\/td> 5.1%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 5<\/p><\/td> 6.1%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 6<\/p><\/td> 6.7%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> Notes<\/strong><\/p> 1. Figures relate to Universal Credit full service.<\/p> 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest per cent.<\/p> 3. Figures included arrears for gas, electric, water, rent and service charges<\/p> 4. We would expect to see overall amount increasing as the caseload and number of claims with deductions increase, but the average over that time also decreases.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-03T15:52:39.273Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of universal credit claimants that have had a deduction as a result of arrears to their (a) first, (b) second, (c) third, (d) fourth, (e) fifth and (f) sixth universal credit payment in the most recent period for which data is available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3930", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Lucas"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brighton, Pavilion"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Caroline Lucas"}
], "uin" : "280971"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141281", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141281/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The attached table shows the amount deducted from Universal Credit claims in (a) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (b) the Poplar and Limehouse parliamentary constituency in each month since April 2017 to May 2019, which is the latest month that data is available for.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141281/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "PQ280902 data.xlsx"}
, "title" : "280902 data"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-03T16:36:28.36Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Greater London"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2019 to Question 224493, how much has been deducted from universal credit claimants' standard allowance in (a) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (b) Poplar and Limehouse constituency in each month since April 2017.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/197", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Fitzpatrick"}
], "uin" : "280902"}
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