Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has issued on whether people on Universal Credit are entitled to raise funds for the purpose of standing for election.

Funding received and managed by local and national political parties would not be taken into account in assessing an individual’s entitlement for Universal Credit (UC). Money received personally by an individual, including for their political purposes, is generally treated as capital in UC, and can affect eligibility and payment amounts if a customer’s total capital exceeds £6,000. There are no plans to review these rules.