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Assessment Period

Universal Credit is based around Assessment Periods.

An Assessment Period is a rolling one month period that starts on the day you first made your Universal Credit claim.

For example, if Sean claims Universal Credit on 21 October.

  • His first Assessment Period will run from 21 October to 20 November,
  • His second Assessment Period will run from 21 November to 20 December.

Each month the DWP looks at your needs and your income and calculates how much Universal Credit you are entitled to.

A week after the end of each Assessment Period the DWP then pays the amount of Universal Credit it has calculated you were entitled to for that Assessment Period.

So Sean, whose Assessment Period runs from 21 October to 20 November, will first be paid Universal Credit on 27 November.

** The Assessment Phase of Employment and Support Allowance is different from the Assessment Period for Universal Credit **

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