Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made on the impact of taking a partner's income into account for universal credit eligibility, including with regard to disabled claimants.

No assessment has been made.

Universal Credit is a household benefit. A Universal Credit award is calculated on the basis of the set benefit rate based on individual household circumstances, against any other income the household has available, to ensure fairness of treatment for all claimants. This is a long standing principle of means-tested benefits. Income does not include any Personal Independence Payment the disabled person may be receiving, as it is disregarded in the calculation of Universal Credit.

For Universal Credit claimants with health conditions and disabilities which restrict, wholly or partly, their capability for work, additional financial help is available. Those with limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work related activity (LCWRA) have:

• a work allowance, and
• in couple claims where one is working, access to help with childcare costs.

Claimants who are determined to have LCWRA are entitled to the award of an additional amount of benefit – the LCWRA addition – which is £343.63 per month (2021-22 rates).