Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that the payment of Universal Credit is adjusted in 2024 to take into account the 53-week rent year.

Universal Credit always converts weekly amounts to monthly sums using 52 weeks. This may lead to a slight advantage to the claimant when converting weekly incomes and to a slight disadvantage when dealing with outgoings. The system is used because it is simple to operate and understand.

Discretionary Housing Payments can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. Since 2011, the government has provided nearly £1.7 billion in Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities.