Cl 70=, musician who hasnt done a gig for over 3 mnths although worked regulary up until that time.Am trying to find out how PC asesses his self employed earnings.
Have looked at Social security regs 1996 Compulation of earnings but cant find out how his earings are assessed or if they take into account his change in working pattern, if so how?
Help!!

If you remain self-employed, working patterns are irrelevant: most small business are very erratic as sources of income. The averaging over the annual profits is the way of smoothing out the irregularities. If things have got so bad that it is arguable he is no longer in fact self-employed, he could claim that this is the case, abandon the "business" and just claim benefits on that basis. All the means-tested beenfits are poorly structured for dealing with erratic earnings from self employment which is hence a bad idea if you might ever need to rely on benefits!

The DWP's DMG gives some guidance on, first of all, deciding if the client is still self employed. There are a series of Qs to be considered at paragraph 15476 in the link below, such as 'Is there a reasonable prospect of work?' and 'Are they engaged in any work-related activities' (such as practice or rehearsal)?

If they are still considered to be s/e, then has there been an interruption to the normal pattern of work (eg closure of venue, illness of fellow musician)? If so, an assessment of income should start from the date of change- see para 15495.

This is the relevant chapter in DMG:

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/dmg/