Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's guidance on Universal Credit and earnings, updated on 13 May 2024, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to Universal Credit payments in an assessment period with two paydays, for claimants who are paid four-weekly, on levels of (a) poverty, (b) debt and (c) food bank usage among such claimants.

No impact assessment has been made on changes to the Universal Credit assessment periods or payment structures. However, the Government is committed to reviewing Universal Credit so that it makes work pay and tackles poverty.