Universal Credit - Previous Earnings

[SephrinaX]

My DH was made redundant back in May and I'm on mar leave so we've been receiving UC payments since then.
I've just has a message through from them asking me to fill in exactly how much we have earned in the 10months prior to claiming.
Anyone else had this and know why? Just seems odd as they should have access to this information anyway, and why start asking 4 months in?

It is to see if you are exempt from the benefits cap. If either or both of you earned enough in the past nine months to exempt you form the cap then you will be fine. The cap may not even apply to you. It is a standard question which they ask everyone.