Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether financial allowances received by elected local councillors count towards the Universal Credit work allowance.

Allowances paid by Local Authorities to councillors for their official duties are earnings and are treated as such in the calculation of any Universal Credit award. All earnings, above any applicable work allowance, are subject to the 55% taper and the Universal Credit award is calculated on that basis.

The Universal Credit work allowance is an amount of earnings eligible households can earn before the single taper rate is applied to their earnings and their Universal Credit begins to be reduced. Those councillors with responsibility for a child or qualifying young person, and/or limited capability for work will be eligible for a work allowance.