Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2019 to Question 205254 on Universal Credit: Support for Mortgage Interest, if she will ensure the rules in relation to support for mortgage interest loans mean that the 39 week waiting period is not reset when a claimant receives any income.

We operate a zero earnings rule for Universal Credit in Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI). Receiving any earned income during the wait period or during receipt of SMI loan payments will mean that the claimant will not receive loan payments. The zero earnings rule requires claimants to satisfy a waiting period of nine consecutive Universal Credit assessment periods with no earned income before the claimants can receive loan payments.

In addition to this we also work closely with UK Finance and Lenders to impress upon them importance of forbearance in the wait periods for SMI support.