Overview

• The DWP confirms no payment is made in any assessment period where income reaches £2,500 or more, with the excess carried forward and awards only restarting automatically if entitlement returns within five months.
• Universal Credit tapers by 55p for every £1 earned after a work allowance of £411 a month for those with housing support or £684 for others.
• Claimants can report qualifying private pension contributions to reduce the earnings counted for their award, which may lessen the impact of bonuses or irregular income.
• Capital rules continue to bite, with payments reduced by £4.35 for every £250 saved between £6,000 and £16,000 and entitlement generally ending above £16,000.
• Help to Save now includes all working UC claimants, pays up to £1,200 in bonuses over four years, has issued payments to more than 575,000 people, and bonuses are ignored for UC capital tests though deposits are not; eligibility requires at least £1 take-home pay in the prior assessment period.