The Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Claimants subject to no work-related requirements - the earnings thresholds

89.—(1) A claimant falls within Article 24 of the Order (claimants subject to no work-related requirements) if the claimant’s monthly earnings are equal to or exceed the claimant’s individual threshold.

(2) A claimant’s individual threshold is the amount that a person of the same age as the claimant would be paid at the hourly rate applicable under regulation 4 or regulation 4A(1)(a) to (c) (workers who qualify for the national minimum wage at a different rate) of the National Minimum Wage Regulations for—

(a) 16 hours per week, in the case of a claimant who would otherwise fall within Article 25 (claimants subject to work-focused interview requirement only) or 26 (claimants subject to work preparation requirement) of the Order, or

(b) the expected number of hours per week in the case of a claimant who would otherwise fall within Article 27 of the Order (claimants subject to all work-related requirements),

converted to a monthly amount by multiplying by 52 and dividing by 12.

(3) A claimant who is a member of a couple falls within Article 24 of the Order if the couple’s combined monthly earnings are equal to or exceed whichever of the following amounts is applicable—

(a) in the case of joint claimants, the sum of their individual thresholds, or

(b) in the case of a claimant who claims universal credit as a single person, by virtue of regulation 3(2) (couples) the sum of—

(i) the claimant’s individual threshold, and

(ii) the amount a person would be paid for 35 hours per week at the hourly rate specified in regulation 4 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations, converted to a monthly amount by multiplying by 52 and dividing by 12.

(4) A claimant falls within Article 24 of the Order (claimants subject to no work-related requirements) if the claimant is employed under a contract of apprenticeship and has monthly earnings that are equal to or exceed the amount the claimant would be paid for—

(a) 30 hours a week, or

(b) if less, the expected number of hours per week for that claimant,

at the rate specified in regulation 4A(a)(d) of the National Minimum Wage Regulations, converted to a monthly amount by multiplying by 52 and dividing by 12.

(5) A claimant falls within Article 24 of the Order if the claimant is treated as having earned income in accordance with regulation 63 (minimum income floor) .

(6) A person’s monthly earnings are—

(a) the person’s earned income calculated or estimated in relation to the current assessment period before any deduction for income tax, national insurance contributions or relievable pension contributions, or

(b) in a case where the person’s earned income fluctuates (or is likely to fluctuate) the amount of that income calculated or estimated before any deduction for income tax, national insurance contributions or relievable pension contributions, taken as a monthly average—

(i) where there is an identifiable cycle, over the duration of one such cycle, or

(ii) where there is no identifiable cycle, over 3 months or such other period as may, in the particular case, enable the monthly average to be determined more accurately.

and the Department may, in order to enable monthly earnings to be determined more accurately, disregard earned income received in respect of an employment which has ceased.