Universal credit- confirm previous earnings

Hi there,

I have been on universal for around 5 months. I stopped working in August to go on maternity leave and split up with my partner shortly after. I applied for universal due to only receiving statutory maternity pay from work so needing the top up to pay the rent for me and my son.

Universal are now asking me to confirm my last 9 months earnings at work before I applied for UC.

I just wondered why this was? I earnt around 50k before I went on maternity but obviously simply can’t afford my rent now I’m a single mum and on maternity pay. So as I earnt ok before will this interfere with my claim?