Your average weekly earnings are estimated over the five weeks before your housing benefit claim if you are paid weekly, or the two months before your claim if you are paid monthly. Your local authority can average them over another period if that would give a more accurate estimate.
HB Regs, reg 29

If you are not being paid, or are underpaid for a service, ‘notional’ earnings may be taken into account (see 21 below ).

Final earnings – If you have just retired, or your job has ended or been interrupted for some other reason (but not if you have been suspended), your last normal earnings as an employee will usually be disregarded.
HB Regs, Sch 4, para 1

Do not count any payment in kind (see 11 below ) or any payment for ‘expenses wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred in the performance of the duties of the employment’. Occupational pensions are not treated as earnings, but are normally ta